Pub. 5 2016 Issue 6

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 6 MEET THE 2016-2017 KBA CHAIRMAN T HE 2016-2017 KBA Chairman Jim Hoskins is ready to hit the ground running. He and his wife, Buggy, have a strong history in community banking and look forward to the year ahead. He has served as the CEO of the Baxter State Bank in Baxter Springs, KS, since 1989 and also as its Chairman since 1998. During his tenure in Baxter Springs, he oversaw the creation of Baxter Bancshares, Inc., in 1995 the De Novo charter of Peoples National Bank of Seneca, MO., that same year, serving as Chairman and CEO. In 1999 Baxter Bancshares purchased the Bank of Quapaw, in Oklahoma, and he served as CEO until its merger with Baxter State Bank. Jim grew up in the small Kansas town of Oswego with his parents and one brother. His father owned and operated the local Chevrolet dealership in Oswego and a family farm. Hoskins was introduced to motorcycles at the age of 12 when his father gave him and his brother two Honda 50s and they would regularly ride the 10-mile gravel road jaunt from town to the family farm. He has owned numerous motorcycles during his life and has made motorcycle lending a significant part of the bank's loan portfolio. In 1973 Hoskins was pursuing a degree in business administration at Pittsburg State University when he met a nursing student that everyone called Buggy. He was in love but she didn’t make it easy. In order to see her regularly he had to go to the college library and he credits the completion of his bachelor’s degree to the many hours he spent in the campus library trying to win her heart. Following a two-year courtship, they married in 1975. Many changes were afoot when his father passed away during his senior year of college. Jim and his brother took over the Chevrolet dealership that had been in their family for three generations. During this time, he was approached by Dick Stevens, Past KBA Chairman Mike Stevens’ father, and was invited to serve on the board of directors at American State Bank in Oswego. Due to consolidations in the automotive industry, Hoskins closed his Chevrolet dealership in 1982. He farmed and cowboy(ed) for about a year before going to work for Dick Stevens at the American State Bank in Oswego. He briefly worked in the backroom to learn more about the bank and then served as an ag loan officer. “I learned a lot about the mechanics of banking and how important they (banks) are to the communities they serve,” Hoskins stated. With a love and respect Jim and Buggy recently celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary Jim and his best dog, Simon. Simon joins Jim in the bank every day