Great Lake Banker Magazine

OCB Names Dan Carey EVP

OREGON, Wis.,—One Community Bank has promoted of Dan Carey to Executive Vice President. In his new role, Dan joins the One Community Bank executive team and will help guide initiatives across the organization. Dan also remains OCB’s Chief Commercial Officer, and will continue to help the commercial team grow and thrive. “Dan brings an incredible…

County National Promotes Lawson, Clark, Phillips

HILLSDALE, Mich.,—County National Bank has promoted Erik Lawson, Chris Clarke and Christopher Phillips to Executive Vice President roles, according to Joseph R. Williams, President and CEO of County National Bank. Erik Lawson has been named EVP – Chief Financial Officer. “Erik has played an important role in the success of CNB over the past seven…

Consumers to Add Canton Branch

MINERVA, Ohio,—Consumers National Bank has received approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for its application to operate a new full-service branch office the Millenium Building in downtown Canton, Ohio. The approval marks the bank’s tenth branch in Stark County and its 23rd in the bank’s six county market. Consumers National…

AI in Banking:  The Good,  the Bad  and the Ugly

AI in Banking: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By Raj Patel “Only 25% of financial institutions use AI to reinforce their competitive position. The remainder are stuck in isolated pilots rather than pursuing comprehensive strategies.” — Boston Consulting Group Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept for banks—it’s here, and it’s reshaping the financial industry at breakneck speed. But like any…

Timely Financial Considerations for New Small Business Ownership

Timely Financial Considerations for New Small Business Ownership

By Michael Stodolak Changes in career fields and the economy may encourage more people to pursue a new path. Whether driven by corporate layoffs, burnout, or a simple desire for greater independence, many individuals are considering starting their own business. Across the Great Lakes region, states are experiencing a steady stream of new business applications;…

Balancing AI-Driven AML With Human Control

Balancing AI-Driven AML With Human Control

By Jessica Tirado Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just for big banks anymore. One compelling use case for community financial institutions: reducing the cost, effort, and headache of AML compliance. An AI-powered AML solution can automatically review millions of transactions overnight, surface unusual activity, and even draft a suspicious activity report (SAR) while your analysts sleep….

Exploring the Intersection of Community Banking and  Cutting-Edge Lending Technology

Exploring the Intersection of Community Banking and Cutting-Edge Lending Technology

An Interview with Cynthia Miller, Cync Software Great Lakes Banker Publisher Greg O’Neil sat down with Cynthia Miller of Cync Software on the subject of how the latest technology is shaping community banking. Q: Cynthia, you started your career as a community banker. How did that journey evolve into building lending technology products? A: I…

Oxford CEO David Lamb Named to ICBA Innovations and Solutions Committee

OXFORD, Mich.,—The ICBA has appointed David Lamb, CEO of Oxford Bank to serve on ICBA’s Bank Innovations and Solutions Committee. As the nation’s voice for community banks, ICBA’s sole focus is ensuring community banks and the customers they serve continue to flourish. “To lend my voice in policy discussions for the nation’s community banks as…

ChoiceOne Leaders Retire

SPARTA, Mich.,—ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc., and ChoiceOne Bank has announced the retirements of Heather Brolick, EVP Human Resources Officer; Lee Braford, SVP Chief Credit Officer; Shelly Childers, SVP Chief Information Officer; Steven DeVolder, SVP Senior Trust Officer and Robert Michel, SVP Operations Officer. “It is with sincere appreciation that we announce the retirements of Heather,…

F&M Bank Honors Jeff Johnson: 50 Years in Banking

GALESBURG ,  Ill.,—F&M Bank has congratulated Jeff Johnson on his 50th service anniversary on June 2nd. Johnson joined F&M Bank in 1975 as a Teller and currently serves as an Assistant Vice President, Support Specialist in Galesburg.  Over the years, Jeff has held many positions including Personal Banker, Financial Assistant, Cashier, Service Manager I, Operations…