Pub. 1 2012 Issue 6

10 l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s Frank Carson KBA Chairman Leadership Frank LCarson is a soft spoken leader that people want to follow. With his gentle style, Frank gets results using the leadership skill called “kindness.” He is quick to give credit for his success to the important people in his life. When asked what is your favorite part of this industry, Frank smiled and said “one of my favorite parts of banking is that I have numerous favorite parts.” Then he continued, “We have so many great people in our bank and I love to watch them. I think the favorite part of my job is watching them learn new things and I want to make it pos- sible for them to have as much knowledge as possible.” Charlie Morgan, SVP and Risk Manager, Carson Bank, explains that “Frank is so calm in the face of any event and it resonates thoughout the bank. After working with him under his dad’s leadership and then working for him, I have to say he is a very fair man.” Frank Carson’s leadership style is based in his belief that you can have a dis- cussion with someone and reason with them so they understand what it is you want. His basic belief that you can come to a common ground and move forward with the foundation of common knowledge led him to even try to have 45 minute discussions with his oldest son Jeff at the age of two. While he quickly realized that toddlers haven’t developed the attention span for that, he maintains the foundation of how people should be treated. Roberta Payne, SVP and Cashier for Carson Bank states that “Frank is a believer in The Golden Rule and always treats his staff well. In return he expects us to treat our customers with the same respect.” Family After graduating from high school in Mulvane, Frank attended Kansas State University for two years and then finished his education at Wichita State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Frank married his high school sweetheart, Kris, and together they have raised four children and they now enjoy 5 grandchil- dren. With the hint of a smile and a tender voice, he describes their lives together and it is evident that family is the centering point for Frank Carson. Since Kris’s retirement as a college prep teacher six years ago, she and Frank are able to spend much of their time with their grandchildren. Rich with the value of time together, Frank loves to tell stories of his fishing and hunting trips with his family. For 51 years he has joined a pilgrimage to the Illinois River in Oklahoma, near Tahlequah. They fish for White Bass, or Sandys, and en- joy quality time together. They also take pleasure from fly fishing in numerous rivers across the western United States. The passionate hobby is evident in Frank’s office. As you look around you’ll see pictures from numerous fishing adventures and sitting up on his book shelf is a metal fly rod that was gifted to him from CPT Sue of the local police department. With bamboo rods going back to his grandfather, Frank has shared his enthusiasm for fishing with his children. “Frank is a believer in The Golden Rule and always treats his staff well. In return he expects us to treat our customers with the same respect.” Frank and Kris Carson at the CEO Forum in 2012 for Frank’s induction as KBA Chairman.