Every January, BankBeat names a Banker of the Year, based on nominations submitted by people in the industry. The Banker of the Year program is sponsored by Bell Bank.
Nominations for Banker of the Year are accepted at any time, yet submissions close on November 3. Any banker who runs a sound bank and has made substantial contributions to his or her bank and community make excellent nominations.
The banker should be the president, CEO or chairman of a bank from one of the following states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin or Wyoming.
Send nominations by November 3 to Mara Gawarecki [email protected] or use snail mail: BankBeat, NFR Communications, 250 Prairie Center Drive, Ste. 300, Eden Prairie, MN 55344.
Click HERE to nominate a banker online.
Below is a the list of people honored as Banker of the Year by BankBeat:
- 2024 Bryan Bruns, Lake Central Bank, Annandale, Minn.
- 2023 Bob Atwell and Mike Daniels - Nicolet Bankshares, Green Bay, Wis.
- 2022 Brenda K. Foster - First Western Bank & Trust, Minot, N.D.
- 2021 Chuck Mueller - Fidelity Bank, Edina, Minn.
- 2020 Jack Hopkins - CorTrust Bank, Sioux Falls, S.D.
- 2019 Mary Kay Bates - Bank Midwest, Spirit Lake, Iowa
- 2018 Larry Ness - First Dakota National Bank, Yankton, S.D.
- 2017 Jerry Baack - Bridgewater Bank, Bloomington, Minn.
- 2016 Tom Beck - Northeast Bank, Minneapolis.
- 2015 Donald Regan - Premier Banks, Maplewood, Minn.
- 2014 Charles Funk - MidWestOne Bank, Iowa City, Iowa
- 2013 Lou Geistfeld - Citizens Bank Minnesota, New Ulm, Minn.
- 2012 Richard Solberg & Michael Solberg - State Bank & Trust, Fargo, N.D.
- 2011 Stephen J. Goodenow - Bank Midwest, Spirit Lake, Iowa
- 2010 Larry Albert, John Morrison & Kurt Weise - Central Bank, Stillwater,Minn.
- 2009 E. David Locke - McFarland State Bank; McFarland, Wis.
- 2008 Randy L. Newman - Alerus Financial, Grand Forks, N.D.
- 2007 Steve Wilcox - Grand Rapids State Bank, Grand Rapids, Minn.
- 2006 Jeff Plagge - First National Bank, Waverly, Iowa
- 2005 Kenneth Heiser - First National Bank, Hudson, Wis.
- 2004 Robert Weiss - Beacon Bank, Shorewood, Minn
- 2003 Josef M. Vich - Community National Bank, Waterloo, Iowa
- 2002 Warren Williams - Bremer Bank, Brainerd, Minn.
- 2001 William Reiling - Sunrise Community Banks, St. Paul, Minn.
- 2000 J. Michael Earley - Bankers Trust, Des Moines, Iowa
- 1999 Harley Bergmeyer - Saline State Bank, Wilber, Neb.
- 1998 Catherine Jackson - Citizens State Bank, Waverly, Minn
- 1997 Leland Stenehjem, Jr. - First International Bank & Trust, Fargo, N.D.
- 1996 B. Michael Broderick, Jr. - First American Bank, Canton, S.D.
- 1995 Mark Hewitt - Northwoods Bank, Park Rapids, Minn.
- 1994 Myron Pfeifle - Bank Center First, Bismarck, N.D.
- 1993 David Ballweg - Community State Bank, Union Grove, Wis.
- 1992 Alan R. Tubbs - Maquoketa State Bank, Maquoketa, Iowa
- 1991 Leslie H. Olson - Community Trust & Savings Bank, Mitchell, S.D.
- 1990 Clinton Kurtz - Citizens State Bank, Norwood, Minn.
- 1989 C.G. Kelly Holthus - First National Bank of York, Neb.