ChoiceOne Bank CEO Kelly Potes received the 2022 Best of Community Banking Award from the Community Bankers of Michigan on Sept. 29 during the association’s convention at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City, Mich.
The annual award recognizes the success and contributions of a Michigan banker. Potes, president of the Sparta-based bank from 2015-19, has held the CEO position since 2016, and been a director of ChoiceOne and ChoiceOne Bank for seven years. Potes has led the bank holding company’s growth from $560 million in 2015 to $2.4 billion today.
“We are extremely pleased to announce [Potes] has received this prestigious award from the Community Bankers of Michigan,” said ChoiceOne Chair of the Boards Jack Hendon. “[Potes] has a very distinct leadership style guided by his remarkable financial intelligence — it’s quiet, kind and very strategic. He relies on his expert teams to focus on strategy, market, and customer understanding, including public outreach into our underserved communities.”
Potes graduated from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich., with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance. He is a Certified Financial Planner and graduated from the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking.