Pub. 9 2020 Issue 1

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 8 KBA ANNOUNCES THE 2020 BLOK CLASS N ow in its 15th 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 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-one Kansas bankers will participate in four BLOK training sessions that will arm them with the knowledge and information they need to be a credible and effective advocate for the Kansas banking industry. The first session took place at the KBA office on February 5 and 6 with class orientation, KBA Board meeting, and Statehouse tour. Members of the 2020 BLOK Class are: Chris Bartlett, Chief Lending Officer, First National Bank of Kansas, Waverly; Lance Caldwell, Regional Director, Promontory Network, Overland Park; Heather Campbell, Senior Associate, Kcoe Isom, LLP, Wichita; Shelly Coats, VP, Compliance Officer/HR, TriCentury Bank, Spring Hill; Ed Dewey, Community Bank President, GNBank, NA, Bucklin; Andrew Ellner, Vice President/Loan Officer, Bank of the Prairie, Olathe; Tricia Fowler, Branch Manager, Heartland Tri-State Bank, Arlington; Lacey Frehe, Vice President, United Bank & Trust, Seneca; Alexander Jones, Vice President, First Neodesha Bank, Neodesha; Denise Kissinger, Market Manager/Banking Center Manager, INTRUST Bank, N.A., Lawrence; Christopher Kuckelman, Compliance and Legal Counsel, Exchange Bank & Trust, Lansing; Jim Metz, Trust Officer, Citizens State Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln; David Moore, Market President, Central National Bank, Lawrence; Kaylene Plummer, SVP, Data Operations Officer, Farmers State Bank, Westmoreland; Brian Schwarz, Senior Vice President, First Bank Kansas, Salina; Jeff Steiner, VP — Regional Account Manager, FHLBank Topeka, Topeka; Grady Trumble, Chief Financial Officer, Legacy Bank, Wichita; Kelly VanZwoll, Staff Attorney/Compliance Auditor/Lobbyist, Kansas Bankers Association, Topeka; Brian Whitesell, Vice President/Commercial Banking, Landmark National Bank, Manhattan; Blake Yakel, Vice President/Commercial Lender, Equity Bank, Wichita; and Aaron Zadina, Assistant Vice President, Centera Bank, Greensburg. The 2020 BLOK sponsors are: Bankers’ Bank of Kansas, CalTech; Central States Capital Markets, LLC; INTRUST Bank N.A.; KBA Insurance Inc.; Professional Bank Consultants; Promontory Network.