Now in its 16th 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:

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. To improve the individual banker’s leadership and communication skills through professional development and leadership training sessions and 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 to arm them with the knowledge and information needed to be credible and effective advocates for the Kansas banking industry. The first session is scheduled for Feb. 8-10 and will center on the 2022 Harold A. Stones Public Affairs Conference in Topeka.

Members of the 2022 BLOK Class are: Brandi Archer, Consumer Loan Officer, First National Bank and Trust, Phillipsburg; Jennifer Caughron, SVP, Bank Card Manager, Bankers’ Bank of Kansas, Wichita; Nick Gideon, Lawrence Market President, Silver Lake Bank, Lawrence; Alex Greig, President of Insurance, Kansas Bankers Association, Topeka; James Hagedorn, Vice President, Loan Officer, United Bank & Trust, Seneca; Sam Jackson, Loan Officer/Assistant Vice President, First State Bank, Plainville; Jordan Lauer, SVP/Loan Officer/Investment Officer, Farmers State Bank, Westmoreland; Kyle Murrow, Assistant Vice President, Denison State Bank, Holton; Deron O’Connor, Chief Operating Officer, Astra Bank, Hays; Francis Scheuerman, UMB Bank, N.A., Kansas City; Garrett Sharp, Vice President, Community National Bank & Trust, Chanute; Clint Shoemaker, Vice President, Guaranty State Bank and Trust Co., Beloit; Lindsey Snider, Market President, Central National Bank, Junction City; Brock Stuhlsatz, Vice President/Loan Officer, Citizens Bank of Kansas, Derby; Greg Thiessen, Chief Credit Officer, First Bank of Beloit, Beloit; Cole Thompson, Investment Sales/Associate, BOK Financial, Overland Park; Kimberly Wallace, SVP/Organizational Development, Equity Bank, Wichita; Lewis Walton, Compliance Specialist and Auditor, Kansas Bankers Association, Topeka; Trae Watson, Loan Officer, Heartland Tri-State Bank, Elkhart; Evan Whetzal, Vice President, First Heritage Bank, Seneca; and Joe White, Director — Premier Service, INTRUST Bank, N.A., Wichita.