Ricci Aquilani
Clinton National Bank, Clinton

Ricci Aquilani began his banking career with the Iowa Department of Banking in 1976 before joining Clinton National Bank, where he has played a vital role in the evolution of the bank’s products and technology. Throughout his career, he helped implement check processing, launch the bank’s first ATM network, establish debit and credit card programs, and roll out online and mobile banking services. A highlight of Aquilani’s career was serving on the inaugural Iowa Bankers Compliance Committee in the early 1990s, where he helped shape compliance practices during a pivotal time in banking. Aquilani’s commitment to the community is reflected in his service as treasurer of the Downtown Clinton Alliance and the Clinton Substance Abuse Council, president of the Prince of Peace School Foundation, and a member of several church, civic and school committees in Clinton. Aquilani says he has truly enjoyed witnessing every stage of change in the banking industry; from a paper-based environment to mobile banking, and now to the early stages of artificial intelligence.

Fred L. Axmear
White State Bank, South English

Fred Axmear began his career with the FDIC in 1966 before joining White State Bank in 1976. Throughout his career, he navigated the industry’s transformation from manual ledgers to today’s technology-driven environment. His time with White State Bank gave him experience in customer service, lending, operations, compliance and business development. Notably, he helped the bank navigate changing regulations, fluctuating interest rates, and times of uncertainty like the Y2K transition. Axmear’s commitment to his community is reflected in his service as president of the South English Development Corporation, township clerk for English River Township, a member of United Methodist Church committees, a Boy Scout High Adventure Leader, and a volunteer with the South English Cemetery Veterans’ flag placement. Looking back on his career, Axmear says he is especially grateful to the loyal customers and dedicated employees of White State Bank, whose lasting relationships made his years in banking so rewarding.

Treva M. Block
Community Bank, Dunlap

Treva Block has dedicated 50 years of service to the same bank she started at right after high school. She worked her way from the bookkeeping department to vice president and saw the bank grow from one location to seven. She appreciated working for a bank that encouraged her professional development and attended the Graduate School of Banking. Her community involvement throughout the years includes the Harrison County Community Foundation board, the Dunlap Housing board, multiple county fair boards, the Community Bank board of directors, and the United Methodist Church. Block says she loved working for a smaller community bank because her coworkers felt more like family, and everyone was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Larry R. Cobb
Iowa State Bank, Des Moines

After graduating from Drake University and serving in the U.S. Army, Larry Cobb began his banking career in 1972 at Valley National Bank. Cobb was hired by J. Locke Macomber, who he credits as one of his most influential career mentors and taught him the many ways a community bank can serve its customers. In 1985, he joined United Central Bank, where he led trust operations and investment services, before moving to West Bank in 1996 and then to Iowa State Bank in 1999 to lead its trust department. Cobb credits former Iowa State Bank President John Burgeson as another influential mentor whose emphasis on faith, relationships, and serving others helped shape his leadership philosophy. Over the years, Cobb dedicated time to organizations including the Iowa Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where he led huddle groups and served on the state board, and on the board of the Iowa United Methodist Foundation. He also continues to serve as a member of the Iowa State Bank board of directors. Cobb and his wife continue to invest in the community by supporting organizations like ChildServe and Dolly Parton’s Raising Readers in the Heartland. Cobb and his wife Becky celebrated 56 years of marriage in June, and they enjoy spending time with their children and four grandchildren.

Gregory L. Dockum
West Bank, West Des Moines

Greg Dockum began his banking career at Northwest Brenton National Bank and played a key role in advancing the asset/liability management process at three different banks during his career – Brenton National Bank, Principal Bank and West Bank. He led the implementation of increasingly sophisticated interest rate risk and balance sheet management systems, equipping each institution with the tools to better measure financial risk and make informed strategic decisions. Beyond banking, Dockum has been involved in the community through service on the Johnston Community School District board of education, including four years as president, and on the Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control. He also currently serves on the Urbandale Food Pantry board of directors and has given time to organizations like Johnston Dollars for Scholars, Johnston Soccer Club, Des Moines Officials’ Association, Kiwanis Club of Downtown Des Moines, and St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church. He is grateful for the opportunity to have served Iowa communities at three different banks and considers it an honor to have spent five decades in community banking.

Gary Fattig
Chelsea Savings Bank, Chelsea

Gary Fattig began his banking career at Chelsea Savings Bank in 1976 and continues to serve the bank today as a member of its board of directors. During his time, Fattig helped guide the bank through a period of significant growth, expanding from a single location to five branches serving Tama, Poweshiek and Benton counties. Fattig was particularly dedicated to helping many local farm families navigate the 1980s farm crisis. Additionally, Fattig has served his community as a member of the Chelsea Volunteer Fire Department for nearly 50 years, serving as secretary and treasurer for much of his tenure. He and his wife Kathryn also serve on the planning committee for the Chelsea Car Show, the town’s largest event that donates all proceeds back into the community. Fattig also led fundraising and construction efforts with his son Rob in 2025 for a new community park in Chelsea. Fattig and his wife Kathryn are the proud parents of three children and seven grandchildren. Since retiring, they also enjoy tending to their garden and continuing a 40-year tradition of exhibiting vegetables at the Iowa State Fair.

Judy Gogel
Citizens State Bank, Monticello

Judy Gogel started her banking career as a teller at Farley State Bank in 1975 and is now vice president at Citizens State Bank. Gogel said her most notable career accomplishment is working her way up to where she is today. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to her community through service on the St. Paul School board and St. Paul Parish Council, as president of Relay for Life events, president of the Dubuque County Cattlewomen, as a 4-H leader, involvement with the West Dubuque Booster Club, and as a Monticello ambassador. Gogel was married to her husband for 46 years until his passing in 2024. She says family is everything and is actively involved with the family farm operation, supports her eight grandchildren at their activities, and enjoys spending time outdoors.

Rose Harberts
FreedomBank, Elkader

Rose Harberts began a successful and fulfilling career in banking in 1976 at Postville State Bank, which eventually became FreedomBank. She has taken advantage of every training and opportunity for career growth and has enjoyed sharing new knowledge with her coworkers. The opportunity to mentor colleagues and help customers has provided her with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment. She credits the Iowa Bankers Association for playing a significant role in her professional development through resources and training opportunities. Harberts has built meaningful relationships in her community through participation in town celebrations, walking in parades, attending county fairs, and serving on several church committees. She is also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She strongly encourages young people to consider a career in banking, saying no two days are the same and there is great satisfaction in helping customers navigate their financial needs. Harberts is grateful for the relationships she has formed over the last 50 years at FreedomBank.

Sherry Hopkins
Success Bank, Bloomfield

Sherry Hopkins proudly dedicated 50 years of service to Success Bank. She loved working with customers and developing authentic relationships with them. She retired from the bank in 2003 before returning in 2005 to help open a new branch in Milton. Many customers expressed their excitement at Hopkins’ return to the bank, because of her dedication to the community and the strength of her customer relationships. Hopkins was involved with the committee that planned the community’s events, meaning she was deeply involved with almost all events in the community. Hopkins found her time extremely rewarding and can’t say enough good things about Success Bank and the employees she worked with over the years.

David A. Jones
Grinnell State Bank, Grinnell

David Jones has helped grow Grinnell State Bank from $25 million in assets to a two-bank holding company managing over $800 million in assets. Notably, he won an FDIC auction to purchase former Polk County Bank and successfully managed family ownership transitions from the first and second generation and the fourth and fifth generation. Jones has been involved in the community through several different chambers and community boards, and through starting the bank’s successful Heritage Club.

John R. Jones
Farmers Trust & Savings Bank, Williamsburg

John Jones began his banking career at Farmers Trust & Savings Bank in 1976 and continues to serve the institution today. During his tenure, he helped guide the bank through major technological advancements, including implementing one of Iowa’s first ATM pilot programs, transitioning operations to computerized systems, establishing the bank’s holding company, and leading the purchaswe of nearly 98% of the bank’s shares. Beyond banking, Jones has been an active community leader, serving as president of the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club and the Benton-Iowa County Bankers Association, while supporting organizations including the Williamsburg Community School District Foundation, the Williamsburg Historical Society, and his church as a three-term elder. A lifelong Williamsburg resident, Jones served in the U.S. Army’s 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam before earning a finance degree from the University of Iowa through the GI Bill. He and his wife, Gerry, have been married for 48 years and have four children, with their eldest son Grayson serving as president of Farmers Trust & Savings Bank. They are also the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren.

Phil Kennedy
City State Bank, Norwalk

Phil Kennedy got his start in banking at Home State Bank in 1976 and continues to serve as a board member at City State Bank. He is proud to have helped customers and the bank navigate challenging lending conditions during the 1980s farm crisis while he was serving at First State Bank in Britt, Iowa. He has contributed to his community through 10 years of service as president of the Humboldt County Economic Development Division, where he guided investment, workforce strategy and opportunity across Humboldt County. Kennedy is the proud grandfather of 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, and seeing his family grow and thrive has been one of his life’s greatest rewards.

Steven R. Lane
Security Savings Bank, Gowrie

Steven Lane has played an instrumental role in the growth of Security Savings Bank during his 50-year banking career, all while staying committed to the bank’s core mission of serving people. Lane helped lead the bank through remarkable growth, going from a single location with $6 million in assets to eight locations with over $200 million in assets. He also helped cultivate the next generation of bank leaders, ensuring the bank would remain well-positioned for success. Among the honors he received during his career, two of the most meaningful were serving as president of the Independent Bankers Association from 2001 to 2002 and receiving the Robert D. Dixon Founder’s Award from the Community Bankers of Iowa in 2014. Lane has demonstrated a servant-leadership approach, reflected in his service with the Farnhamville Fire Department, Farnhamville Ambulance Service, Cedar Valley School board, Stewart Memorial Community Hospital board, Farnhamville City Council, Gowrie Golf and Country Club board, Golden Buckles Home, Inc. board, Heartland Mutual Insurance board, Opportunity Living and Foundation boards, Sons of the American Legion, Fort Dodge Shrine Club, Masonic Lodge, Iowa Bankers Association board, and Zion Lutheran Church board. Today, Lane also serves as chairman of the board for Security Savings Bank. He and his wife Renae are the proud parents of three children, with sons Brad and Brian following in his footsteps and building careers in banking. They also enjoy spending time relaxing at Lake Panorama and being with their eight grandchildren.

Drew M. Lewis
Hardin County Savings Bank, Eldora

Drew Lewis began his career with Union-Whitten State Savings Bank in 1976, which later became Hardin County Savings Bank. One of his proudest accomplishments was helping farm families navigate the 1980s farm crisis, many of whom were neighbors and friends. He helped ensure that not a single borrower was lost or forced to sell during the crisis, and many of these same families are still customers of the bank today. Beyond banking, Lewis has demonstrated commitment to his community as an active member of his church, the Kiwanis Club, and 20 years on the local telephone company board. During his time, the company brought high-speed internet access to all the local towns, including Eldora. Lewis credits the mentorship of Jim Brown as instrumental to his career. He says the bank’s motto, “Together with you for life,” reflects not only its commitment to customers but also to its employees.

Annette Fay Maggert
Security Savings Bank, George

Annette Maggert began her banking career in 1976 and has dedicated five decades to serving customers in northwest Iowa with Security Savings Bank. Throughout her career, she helped lead the bank through significant operational changes, including the successful conversion to in-house processing in 1995 and the 2007 merger of George State Bank into Security Savings Bank. As vice president, she supervised bank operations, payroll, IRA administration, compliance, and served as secretary to the board of directors, helping guide the bank through decades of growth and technological change. Beyond banking, Maggert has been an active community member, serving on numerous George Chamber of Commerce and Fourth of July Celebration committees, leading Vacation Bible School for nearly 20 years, organizing fundraisers for the George Little Rock Music Boosters and the Matlock Town & Country Club, and holding leadership roles with the George Facts n Fun Club. Maggert says the relationships she’s built with multi-generational banking families have made her career especially rewarding. In retirement, she plans to spend time traveling, riding motorcycles, and enjoying more time at home while continuing to enjoy the community she calls home.

Phyllis McCann
City State Bank, Norwalk

Phyllis McCann began her banking career in 1969 and has been with City State Bank since 2004. McCann has served in both retail and loan processing departments and is always willing to step in and help where needed. During her years with City State Bank, she has become known for her friendly personality and genuine care for customers, making everyone feel like a friend. Anyone who knows her knows she loves a good laugh, and she has brought smiles to her coworkers for years, people she considers family. Her reliability, kindness and dedication have made her a valued member of the City State Bank team.

Stephen L. Mourlam
WCF Financial Bank, Webster City

Beginning his banking career as a high school teller in 1969, Stephen Mourlam went on to spend more than 50 years serving the banking industry, including four decades with WCF Financial Bank. After serving with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, Mourlam returned to Iowa and joined Webster City Federal Savings and Loan as a comptroller and rose through the organization and became president and CEO in 2008. He is proud to have helped lead the bank through milestones including the bank’s conversion to a stock bank, the creation of WCF Financial Bancorp, the acquisition of Independence Savings and Loan, and the construction of the bank’s headquarters, all while guiding the bank through industry and regulatory change and maintaining community-focused values. Mourlam believed community involvement was an extension of his career and served on numerous boards, including the Webster City Chamber of Commerce, Friends Forever, the Kiwanis Club, and Hamilton Hospital, often in leadership roles. Now retired in Washington state with his wife, Mourlam enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with their five children, eight grandchildren and friends.

Tom Neuhaus
FreedomBank, Elkader

Tom Neuhaus began his banking career in 1975 at Farmersburg Savings Bank, which was one of the smallest institutions in the state at the time, and eventually became FreedomBank. Neuhaus spent many years managing the Farmersburg office before transferring to Monona and retired as executive vice president in 2019. He has always strongly believed in community involvement, serving 24 years as trustee and treasurer of Central Community Hospital in Elkader, 21 years on the NEIA Telephone Company board, as well as being active with Dollars for Scholars, church and county boards, scholarship committees, and the Monona Housing board. Neuhaus also continues to serve on the board of directors for FreedomBank, the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and the holding company. Growing up on a small dairy farm instilled the values of hard work and community, principles that guided him through his career as well as the challenging times, like the 1980s farm crisis. He is grateful for lasting relationships with customers, coworkers and the agricultural community.

Rodney L. Patterson
St. Ansgar State Bank, St. Ansgar

In 1976, Rodney Patterson returned to his hometown of St. Ansgar to begin what would become a 50-year career with St. Ansgar State Bank. Over the course of his career, his commitment and understanding of the agricultural economy made him a trusted partner to generations of customers. During the 1980s farm crisis, he worked alongside friends, neighbors and community members to help preserve family farms. He believed in an approach rooted in empathy, practical problem-solving, and a genuine belief in the resilience of the people he served.  Patterson viewed the customers and colleagues who placed their trust in him as central to his work and the success of the bank. Outside the bank, he was actively involved in youth athletics, initiatives supporting the local school system, and served in various capacities within his church.

Bradley W. Robson
First State Bank, Belmond

Beginning his banking career as an FDIC examiner in 1976, Bradley Robson joined First State Bank in 1981 as a loan officer and was named president and CEO in 1994. As a dedicated advocate for community banking, he served as president of the Community Bankers of Iowa from 2005 to 2006, served as state delegate to the Independent Community Bankers of Iowa from 2008 to 2014, and contributed 15 years of service on the Independent Community Bankers of Iowa Ag Committee. Robson has invested in his community and has served as the founding director and treasurer of the Belmond Community Hospital Foundation since 1984, a trustee of the Belmond Community Hospital since 1994, a trustee of the C.P. Luick Memorial Trust since 2005, and a Wright County Economic Development commissioner since 1997, including serving as chairman in 2017. He has also been the director of First State Bank since 1989 and the director of Community Bank of Oelwein since 1998. Robson and his wife Jane have been married for 52 years and are the proud parents of three children and grandparents to eight grandchildren.

Michelle Schaefer
First Security Bank & Trust, Hampton

Over her 50-year banking career, Michelle Schaefer has helped customers achieve their financial goals, while growing professionally and progressing from bookkeeper to assistant vice president for First Security Bank & Trust. She considers her greatest accomplishment to be the relationships she built with customers and coworkers who have helped shape who she is today. Whether she was assisting customers with deposit accounts, investments, or home loans, she found it greatly rewarding to help people achieve financial security and fulfill their dreams. Schaefer considers herself a team player and has been deeply committed to community service. She has been involved with Main Street Hampton, the design committee, and the Hampton Preservation Commission since the late 1970s, and the Lions Club for 23 years. Schaefer is grateful for the support from her family, the lifelong friendships she formed, and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.

Dwight O. Seegmiller
Hills Bank & Trust Company, Hills

Dwight Seegmiller is a long-time leader in the banking industry, serving for decades as president, CEO, and director at Hills Bancorporation and Hills Bank & Trust Company. Seegmiller began his career with Hills Bank in 1975 and served as president and CEO from 1986 to 2025, guiding the bank’s expansion and operations across multiple locations. Under his leadership, Hills Bancorporation grew from $220 million in total assets in 1986 to over $4.3 billion in assets, most of it being organic growth. His involvement in the community runs deep, having been involved as president of United Way in Johnson County, Iowa City Noon Rotary, and Sunrise Optimist Club, executive committee member of the Mercy Hospital board, board member with the Iowa City Area Development Group, Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, Iowa Transfer System, Chicago Federal Reserve Community Bank Advisory board, and founding director of the Iowa Family Farm Development Authority. Seegmiller says it has been an honor to serve with Hills Bank for over 50 years and to witness the next generation of leaders take the bank to the next level.

Anita M. Sullivan
First State Bank, Nashua

Anita Sullivan has dedicated more than 50 years to community banking, with one of her most notable accomplishments being her efforts in establishing First State Bank’s branch in Nashua in 2002 and helping organize the de novo First State Bank in 2005, which now holds approximately $70 million in assets. Beyond banking, Sullivan has been actively involved in numerous community organizations, including church groups, school booster clubs, the Greenwood Cemetery board, and several building revitalization projects in Nashua and the surrounding area. She also helped with a housing development in Nashua, demonstrating her dedication to strengthening the community. Sullivan and her husband, Tom, have been married for 48 years and have two children and four grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, golfing, hiking, playing bridge with friends, and supporting her grandchildren at sporting events and musical performances. Sullivan and her husband have traveled to six of the world’s seven continents, with Antarctica being the destination they are leaving off their list

Gary W. Thies
Iowa State Bank, Des Moines

Gary Thies began his career in banking at Mapleton Trust & Savings Bank in 1960, starting as a bookkeeper and retiring as president of the bank after 32 years. Since then, he has served as a board member with Iowa State Bank for the past 32 years, which he says has been a wonderful journey working with the Burgeson family. Outside of banking, Thies founded Mission Central in 2003, which he calls a “miracle in the middle of a cornfield.”  Mission Central has grown into the largest mission-supporting agency in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, supporting thousands of missionary families around the world through volunteer efforts and donor support. Thies has also devoted decades of service to his community through leadership with the Fisher-Whiting Memorial Library, Mapleton Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scout Troop 336, Rotary Club, Maple Valley Development, Inc., Health Development Triad, Inc., St. Matthew Lutheran Church, the Monona County Compensation Committee, Monona County Condemnation Committee, and the Monona County Extension Agency. He also served on the boards of Western Iowa Tech Community College, the Western Iowa Tech Community College Foundation, Marian Health Center, the Iowa Bankers Association, and Iowa State Bank, and was a member of the Iowa Governor’s Judicial Selection Committee. Through the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Thies chaired the Board for Mission Services, presented mission programs throughout the United States and Canada, traveled to more than 75 countries on mission work, and delivered mission and travel presentations in more than 1,250 cities.