Pub. 8 2019 Issue 1

January/February 2019 11 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 KBA ANNOUNCES 2019 BLOK CLASS N ow in its 14th year, the Bank Leaders of Kansas (BLOK) Program is a leadership development program coordinated by the Kansas Bankers Association. The BLOK program is designed to improve the leadership skills of Kansas bankers and accomplishes that goal through four primary objectives: ·To increase the individual banker’s understanding and knowledge of the structure and governance of the KBA; including a complete overview of programs, services, and representation provided by the KBA.  To increase the individual banker’s understanding of the state and federal legislative process and increase their willingness to actively support and defend the Kansas banking industry.  To increase the individual banker’s understanding and awareness of the various state and federal agencies that govern the banking industry in Kansas and how those agencies interact with the KBA.  To improve the individual banker’s leadership and communication skills through professional development and leadership training sessions and to provide a clear understanding of the individual banker’s role as a volunteer KBA leader. This year’s class will include a wide range of banking industry talent from across the state. Twenty Kansas bankers will participate in four BLOK training sessions that will arm them with the knowledge and information needed to be a credible and effective advocate for the Kansas banking industry. The first session is scheduled for February 5-7 and will center on the 2019 Harold A. Stones Public Affairs Conference in Topeka. Members of the 2019 BLOK Class are: Derek Bailey, Senior Commercial Lender, Great Western Bank, Shawnee; Chris Bilby, Vice President/Loan Officer, Home Savings Bank, Chanute; Jared Brown, EVP/Chief Financial Officer, Impact Bank, Wellington; Eric Clemenson, VP/Commercial Relationship Manager, Arvest Bank, Shawnee Mission; Kelli Galbrecht, Senior Commercial Credit Underwriter, CrossFirst Bank, Leawood; Darrin Golliher, Branch Manager/Vice President, Stockgrowers State Bank, Meade; Jeremy Hacker, Community Bank President, United Bank & Trust, Concordia; Jacob LaRue, New Accounts Representative, Bank of Commerce, Chanute; Jeff Martin, Senior Vice President, IT Director, First Heritage Bank, Centralia; Blake Meyer, Senior Vice President, Denison State Bank, Holton; Don Reinsch, EVP, Chief Credit Officer and Senior Lender, Central National Bank, Junction City; Suzan Saville, VP, Director of Lending, FHLBank Topeka, Topeka; Crissy Shumard, Manager – Small Business Lending, INTRUST Bank, N.A., Wichita; Carmelita Taylor, SVP, Human Resources Officer, Astra Bank, Abilene; Lindsey Voss, Credit Analyst, Farmers Bank & Trust, Overland Park; Tyler Walden, Audit Manager, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik L.C., Wichita; Chris Wente, President and CEO, Golden Belt Bank, Hays; Kristen Wesolowsky, VP – Marketing, Legacy Bank, Wichita; Amanda Williams, AVP – Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Bankers’ Bank of Kansas, Wichita; Terry Wright, President, Mortgage Division, GNBank, Horton. 2019 BLOK Sponsors are: Bankers’ Bank of Kansas; CalTech; Central States Capital Markets, LLC; INTRUST Bank, N.A., KBA Insurance, Inc.; Professional Bank Consultants, LLC; Schools of Banking. MARCH 26-27 2019 TRI-STATE LEADERSHIP & HUMAN RESOURCES CONFERENCE For Bank Leaders, Managers, and HR Professionals Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza