September 16-22

Bankers in the News

 Special thanks to all the bankers who volunteered at our Husker Harvest Days booth last week – We appreciate your time and energy spent connecting with attendees!

• Travis Fraser, South Central State Bank | Blue Hill
• Cooper Grabenstein, First State Bank of Loomis | Loomis
• Isaiah Graham, Home Federal Bank | Grand Island
• Laura Hansen, Brunswick State Bank | Magnet
• Jason Lavicky, Bank of the Valley | Columbus
• Joe Libal, Flatwater Bank | Gothenburg
• Seth Mangels, Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust | Norfolk
• Trey Strong, Citizens State Bank | Carleton
• Andy Sudbeck, Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust | Norfolk
• Eli Vosler, Bank of the Valley | David City
• Kenneth Wiemers, Home Federal Bank | Grand Island

Eli Vosler and Jason Lavicky

Andy Sudbeck and Joe Libal

Trey Strong and Travis Fraser

Laura Hansen and Kenneth Wiemers

Seth Mangels, NBA President & CEO Richard Baier, NBA Chair Travis Sears (Union Bank & Trust, Lincoln), and Isaiah Graham

Tom Kozisek, Security First Bank | Lincoln, and his wife Julie were named as two of four outstanding alumni for Doane University. Tom has served the Nebraska banking industry for 48 years, including at U.S. Bank and Security First Bank, where he is a loan officer. The award recipients will be recognized during the Alumni Awards Ceremony on Oct. 4.
 
Matt Lujano, Westside States Bank | Bellevue (and Westside, IA), was elected as chair of the American Bankers Association’s Community Bankers Council for the 2026-2027 association year. He is the bank president and CEO.
 
Matthew Richardson, FNBO | Fremont, and Renee Schneringer, RVR Bank | Fremont, were selected for the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Fremont Class of 2027.
 
Schuyler Sharp, First Bank & Trust of Fullerton | Fullerton, and his wife Katie received the 2026 Founder’s Award from Civic Nebraska during the organization’s Strengthening Democracy Awards on Sept. 17, for their work toward founding and sustaining Fullerton’s Future, Inc., a nonprofit childcare center and preschool. Schuyler is a loan officer at the bank.
 
Anniversaries:

• Laura Benes, Midwest Bank | Norfolk – 20 years
• Kelsey Clyne, Five Points Bank | Grand Island – 15 years
• Tiffani Keckler, Five Points Bank | Omaha – 15 years
• Jody Propp, Five Points Bank of Hastings | Hastings – 25 years
• Tanner Smith, First State Bank Nebraska | Lincoln – 10 years

---

Banks in the News

Cedar Rapids State Bank | Cedar Rapids, Cornerstone Bank | Albion, and First Bank & Trust of Fullerton | Fullerton, and other local businesses helped sponsor the Area 4 Range judging competition for local FFA students earlier this month.
 
Core Bank | Omaha, donated $1,669.75 and a variety of school supplies to Omaha Street School, with the funds raised through the bank’s donation drive. Omaha Street School is an alternative high school for students who have not found success in a traditional school setting.
 
Equitable Bank and Union Bank & Trust | Grand Island, and other local businesses helped sponsor the Grand Island Area Farmers Market’s Harvest Festival on Sept. 19.
 
First Interstate Bank | all branches, participated in its ninth annual Volunteer Day on Sept. 16. Bank staff completed food bank support projects, park and neighborhood cleanups, nonprofit outreach, school support and other hands-on service projects across the bank’s 10-state footprint.
 
First Interstate Bank | Bellevue, donated $25,000 to Lift Up Sarpy County as part of the bank’s “Believe in Local” grant campaign. Lift Up Sarpy County works to connect individuals to resources to fill their most basic needs, like shelter, food, transportation assistance, education, mental health services and child care.
 
Flatwater Bank | Gothenburg, sponsored a virtual reality game truck during the community’s annual Harvest Festival last week. Additionally, the bank donated $1,000 to the Brady Public Schools JAG program following the students’ visit to the bank to learn about customer service, gratitude and the importance of giving back to the community, as well as the students’ assistance during the bank’s annual Legacy Event.
 
FNBO | Kearney, and other local businesses helped sponsor the Central Nebraska Trailblazers event last week, an event hosted by The Foundry to connect students, businesses and nonprofit leaders for networking and discussion.
 
Security First Bank | Sidney, donated $3,000 to Sidney Public Schools to help fund concessions for home sporting events.

---

Bankers on the Move

Promotions:

• Chris Laursen, Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust | Norfolk, retail operations and training specialist

 
Recent Hires:

• Jay Addison, Great Plains State Bank | O’Neill, market president
• Justin Wemhoff, Midwest Bank | Norfolk, chief credit officer
• Kevin Wick, Security First Bank | Scottsbluff, mortgage loan officer

---

Retirements

Jenny Vanderneck, HSB Henderson | Henderson, retired after 18 years with the bank.

---

Deaths

Michael “Mike” McQuillan (age 68) | Greeley, passed away on Sept. 13. He held various positions within banking, including at Northwestern National Bank, City National Bank, and later the First National Bank of Ord.