Pub. 4 2015 Issue 7

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 12 50 YEAR CLUB Cynthia Fleming, President of the Hillsboro State Bank Cynthia began her career in 1964 working in the bookkeeping department at First National Bank in Hillsboro. In 1970 she was promoted to Asst. Vice President/ Cashier and she also worked as a supervisor for bookkeeping while working as a teller and loan officer. In 1993 the bank was purchased by the Michaelis family and the name was changed to Emprise Bank. Over the years Cynthia worked in several positions and was promoted to Vice President and then Sr. Vice President for Emprise Bank while moving between the Hutchinson, Wichita and Hillsborro locations. In 2009 she was named as the President of the Hillsboro State Bank. Robert V. Haderlein, Chairman of the Board for The First National Bank of Girard R.V. Haderlein is a lifelong resident of Crawford County. He was born and raised in Frontenac, Kansas, and has made his home in Girard since 1946. Doc graduated from what is now Pittsburg State University and went on to get his degree in dentistry from UMKC. He served his country as a dentist for both the Navy and Marine Corp during World War II. After the war Doc and his late wife Patty, moved to Girard where he practiced dentistry for 42 years, and raised their three children, Barbara, Trisha and Mike. In 1952 Doc again interrupted his life to serve his country, this time spending 16 months as an Army dentist in Korea. His account of the horrors and atrocities of the Korean War through the eyes of a doctor serving in a war zone medical unit have made a lasting impression on many. Doc had a huge impact on education from a local, state and national level. He served on the board of the Girard school system from 1957 until 1999. He also served as President of the Kansas Association of School Boards and President of the National School Board Association. In 1983 he was asked by President Reagan to serve on the Committee for Excellence in Education. He was instrumental in the creation of Southeast Kansas Education Coop, better known as Greenbush, which now is a multimillion dollar organization with over 500 employees. His leadership in education resulted in him being asked to join the ownership of The First National Bank of Girard in July of 1965 and was appointed to the Board of Directors in September of 1965. He served as Secretary of the Board for over 30 years and has served as chairman for the past ten years. He has also served on numerous committees at the bank and currently serves on the Steering, ALCO, Audit and Policy committees. After 50 years, Doc remains an enthusiastic supporter of The First National Bank, its directors and staff. Leon A. Drouhard, Chairman and CEO of The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Argonia In March of 1965, Leon A. Drouhard, with his wife, Sharon, moved his family from Wichita, Kansas to the rural community of Argonia, Kansas, to accept a position at The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Argonia. Doing so, he became the second generation in the family-owned bank, Leon’s father, Leo Drouhard having purchased controlling interest in the bank in 1956, seven years after being hired as Cashier. Leon’s father was elected to the 50-Year Club in 1979. In 1976, Leon was elected to the Board of Directors, and the bank celebrated its 75th anniversary following an extensive remodel of the bank building. In March 1981 he was elected President of the $14 million bank, and in 1982 the bank purchased an adjoining property and expanded the Argonia facility at the same time as the conversion to a computerized system. In January 1983, Leon was also elected CEO and Chairman. The Bank celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2001, and a branch location was established in 2002. During his presidency, Leon and Farmers and Merchants State Bank have survived economic and regulatory challenges and have grown the bank to $35,000,000. Leon is the longest-serving president of the bank, at 34 years, having served two years longer than his father. Leon and his extended family also own controlling interest in Freeport State Bank of neighboring Harper, Kansas, (purchased by Leo Drouhard in 1961), and Leon has been CEO and Chairman of that bank since 1982. Leon remains Chairman and CEO of both banks today; however, he resigned the presidency of Farmers and Merchants State Bank earlier this year, at which time his daughter, Rene’ Brozovich, was elected president. Leon and Sharon have twenty grandchildren, (two of whom also are bank employees), and have seven great- grandchildren. They enjoy gardening and traveling, and, as an alumnus of Wichita State University, Leon enjoys rooting for Shocker basketball.