Lewis J. Critelli Retires as Chairman of Norwood
Dr. Andrew A. Forte Appointed Chairman, Dr. Marissa Nacinovich and James Shook Appointed to the Board HONESDALE, Pa.,—Lewis J. Critelli has retired from the Board of Directors of Norwood Financial Corp and its subsidiary, Wayne Bank. The Board of Directors also announced the appointment of Dr. Andrew A. Forte, current Vice Chairman of the Board,…
Lake City Bank to Invest $12 Million in Innovation and Technology Center
WARSAW, Ind.,—Lake City Bank will invest $12 million in the company’s Innovation and Technology Center as part of its Downtown Warsaw Headquarters Campus expansion. The project represents the bank’s continued investment in Warsaw and Kosciusko County, where it has invested $23 million in Downtown Warsaw and $31 million total countywide to date since 2010. Construction…
Chad Wheeler Named Northwest Managing Director, Treasurer
COLUMBUS, Ohio,—Northwest Bank has appointed Chad Wheeler managing director, treasurer at Northwest Bank. In this role, Wheeler will oversee the bank’s growing treasury function, including managing the bank’s interest rate, liquidity and capital efforts; managing the securities investment portfolio; facilitating interest rate swaps and ensuring the bank is able to meet or exceed its regulatory…
West Michigan Adds VanDam to Lending Team
HUDSONVILLE, Mich.,—West Michigan Community Bank named Linda VanDam as VP, Retail Loan Originator. Linda brings more than 26 years of mortgage lending experience, with a strong track record of helping clients across the Lakeshore region achieve their homeownership goals. VanDam’s career spans respected institutions such as Macatawa Bank (now part of Wintrust Mortgage), United Federal…
Range Bank Announces Leadership Transition
MARQUETTE, Mich.,—After 28 years of exceptional leadership and service, President and CEO Roxanne Daust has announced plans to retire from Range Bank in December 2026 when she will be succeeded by Chief Lending Officer and Community Bank President Jamey Markham. Daust joined Range Bank in 1997 as chief financial officer, where she was responsible for…
ChoiceOne Adds Five
SPARTA, Mich., —ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc., and ChoiceOne Bank has hired Kevin Kelling, Chelsea Knott, Joell Maddox, Chaz Pray and Michelle Tomandl. “We are pleased to welcome Kevin, Chelsea, Joell, Chaz and Michelle to our ChoiceOne teams,” said ChoiceOne Chief Executive Officer Kelly Potes. “Each of these bankers join ChoiceOne with years of experience in…
OCB Names Brent Swokowski AVP, Technology Solutions
OREGON, Wis.,—One Community Bank has promoted Brent Swokowski to the role of AVP – Technology Solutions Helpdesk. “Brent’s journey at OCB is a testament to his dedication and drive,” said Mike Tallman, SVP & Director of Technology Solutions. “He has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to improving our technology services and supporting his colleagues. We’re…
Turning Missed Moments into Meaningful Connections:
How AI Drives Deposit Growth by Amplifying the Human Touch in Community Banking By Tracy Graham Community banks have long had a competitive edge: deep, trusted relationships with their customers. But in today’s environment—where digital expectations meet lean staffing and fragmented systems—even these relationship-driven institutions face new challenges. Large banks are investing billions in artificial…
How AI is Modernizing Payment Card Personalization in a Regulated World
By Mehdi Heidari As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the financial services industry, its creative and analytical capabilities are unlocking entirely new possibilities in payment card personalization and issuance. Once purely functional tools for securing transactions, payment cards are now evolving into powerful lifestyle statements—expressions of identity that customers carry with them every day. This shift…
7 Goals to Revisit Before the Final Stretch of 2025
With just a few months left in 2025, it is a good time to reflect on your financial institution’s goals. Are you where you expected to be? Let’s take a closer look at seven goals many community banks and credit unions are working toward. For each, consider these timely questions as you assess your progress….