Scott Schwindaman and Sarah Hampton were elected to be on Wichita, Kan.-based Fidelity Bank’s board of directors.
Alongside serving the fourth-generation bank’s board, Schwindaman is president and CEO of Lubrication Engineers, a manufacturer and international distributor of lubricants.
“Scott started as a lab technician in 1981 and through great initiative and hard work rose to the top leadership position at Lubrication Engineers, accelerating the growth of the company,” said Clark Bastian, Fidelity Bank chair and CEO. “Those same qualities that have made his company successful will make him a valuable director with our bank.”
Schwindaman’s volunteer roles include serving as chairman of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, and founding the organization’s diversity and inclusion task force. He is also an executive board member of the Greater Wichita Partnership.
“For some, profitability in business and community investment are two separate things,” Schwindaman said. “I’ve always believed that both are interconnected responsibilities.”
“The people at Fidelity Bank, starting at the highest levels of executive leadership, hold this value and have made it a part of the company culture,” Schwindaman said. “That is exactly the type of organization I like to work with and that our city needs.
Hampton is a fourth-generation Bastian involved in the family business, and has worked in multiple arenas of the $2.3 billion bank, including corporate administration and community relations.
“She is a problem-solver by nature, with an extraordinary ability to think critically and build consensus,” Bastian said.
Hampton has also been a past Fidelity Bank Foundation board member, when she helped guide grant funding to arts, education, social services and community betterment organizations.
“Sarah’s heart for community service and sound decision-making will be very valuable to our board,” Bastian said.
Hampton is a founding member of Juliette’s Pearls Leadership Society, an alumna of the Omega Phi Alpha service sorority, and a volunteer with Dear Neighbor Ministries. She’s also a lifetime member of Girls Scouts of the U.S. and the Oklahoma State University alumni association.
“This is a family business in every way,” said Hampton. “Not just in the ownership, but also in the family-like commitment that exists between employees and the manner in which customers are treated.”
In Muncie, Ind., First Merchants Corporation elected Doug Chaffin to its boards of directors of First Merchants Corporation and First Merchants Bank.
Chaffin, who recently announced plans to transition from his daily leadership role, was president and CEO of Monroe Bank & Trust and MBT Financial Corporation. First Merchants and MBT finalized a merger of the two companies in September.
“The First Merchants Board of Directors is proud to welcome Mr. Chaffin,” said Charles Schalliol, board chairman of the $12.3 billion bank. “Doug’s financial services expertise and commitment to southeastern Michigan communities will serve our shareholders and customers well as First Merchants continues to grow and expand.”
The company’s president and CEO, Michael Rechin, has recently worked close with Chaffin, and admires his dedication, knowledge and passion for the industry, Rechin said.
“Mr. Chaffin is a proven leader who will provide immediate value to our Board of Directors,” Rechin said.
Before joining MB&T in 2001, Chaffin held executive positions with Huntington National Bank and First Michigan Bank Corporation in western Michigan.
Chaffin has been active in both the banking industry and community.
The Indiana University, Bloomington-grad is chairman of the Monroe County Business Development Corporation, chairman of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation and is on the board of the Foundation at Monroe County Community College.
Chaffin was appointed to Governor Richard Snyder’s Talent Investment Board in 2017. He is on the MiBankPAC Committee for the Michigan Bankers Association and is a member of the Monroe Exchange Club, serving as its president in 2017.
He was on the boards of the City of Monroe Downtown Development Authority, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, the Mercy Memorial Hospital System, and has volunteered for the United Way.
“I am honored to accept this position and join such a distinguished collection of professional leaders,” Chaffin said.
“The merger with First Merchants is an ideal match of corporate cultures, values and commitment to exceptional customer service,” Chaffin said. “This development only reaffirms that compatibility.”
“First Merchants’ current trajectory of performance and growth presents enormous potential, and I look forward to contributing to continue momentum and success,” Chaffin said.