Cynthia “Cindy” M. Riemersma was appointed to chair the board of Crossroads Bank, Wabash. She succeeds Dan Ford, who will retire from the Board in October after 20 years of service, including 10 as chair. Riemersma has served on the board for nine years. She has held management positions ranging from human resources to chief operating officer. She also owns and operates three Sylvan Learning Center franchises. Riemersma serves on the Forte Residential Stakeholder Advisory Board and Parkview’s Patients Voice Community. Riemersma attended Indiana State University.
Andy Bain joined the board of directors for Crossroads Bank, Wabash. A Wabash native, he is an engineering and operations professional with a wealth of technical expertise and a proven track record in leadership. He currently serves as foundry manager at The Ford Meter Box Co. Inc. Bain earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dan Starr joined the boards for Lake City Bank, Warsaw, and its holding company, Lakeland Financial Corporation, in May. He is CEO of Do it Best Corp., a Fort Wayne-based member-owned hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry with thousands of member-owned locations across the United States and more than 60 other countries. Starr has a juris doctorate from the Indiana University School of Law and was a partner with Barnes & Thornburg LLP before moving to Do it Best 20 years ago. He volunteers with numerous organizations, including the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, St. Francis Family Business Center and Fort Wayne Ballet. He currently serves as chair of the Parkview Health Board of Directors, as well as a member of the Manchester University Board of Trustees’ Outreach Committee and the Do it Best Foundation.
Mindy Creighton Truex joined the boards for Lake City Bank, Warsaw, and its holding company, Lakeland Financial Corporation, in May. She is president of Creighton Brothers Farms LLC, a Warsaw-based family-owned farm founded in 1925, developing innovative initiatives, including educational and farm-to-table experiences. Creighton Truex has served in leadership roles with national and local agricultural advocacy organizations, including the American Egg Board, United Egg Producers, Indiana State Poultry Association and Purdue University Animal Science Department Dean’s Advisory Committee. She has a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University.
Les Kessens retired from the board of The Napoleon State Bank in April, marking the end of his 44-year career with the bank. He started working for the bank in 1981, working his way up to president before retiring from the daily business of the bank in 2016. Kessens was recognized for his years of service at the bank’s annual stockholder meeting on April 15.
Ryan Pennington has been appointed to the boards of NWSB, Charlestown, and its holding company, New Independent Bancshares Inc. He is founder and president/CEO of 7D Commercial Real Estate, a boutique real estate firm specializing in all facets of the industry, which he launched on 07/07/07 (July 7, 2007). His commercial real estate experience dates back to 2000 when he worked for one of the largest privately held shopping center developers in the country, where he gained experience in leasing, property management, construction and development. Pennington earned a bachelor’s degree from Butler University.
Alliance Junior Board Visits BraunAbility
The Junior Board of Directors for Alliance Bank, Francesville, visited BraunAbility in Winamac in April. They watched a presentation about the company, toured the facility and saw the process of manufacturing vehicles equipped to assist individuals with physical disabilities. Some Junior Board members even had the chance to test out a welding simulator, offering a hands-on experience to get a deeper appreciation for the skills required in manufacturing and production. The Junior Board Program invites students from local high schools to apply at the end of their sophomore year for a two-year term. They meet monthly during the school year at a variety of local businesses and nonprofits to learn how each organization runs and the career opportunities available in their community. They also volunteer together at local charities.
Logansport Savings Bank Junior Board Celebrates Successful Year with 2 Community Donations
The Junior Board of Directors for Logansport Savings Bank concluded its year of service with two exciting and significant financial contributions to the Cass County community.
Throughout the year, LSB Junior Board members engaged in various community service initiatives on their own time. These hours were tracked and reimbursed by the bank into a fund for donating to a nonprofit organization at the end of their school year. At their final meeting of the 2024-25 school year, the Junior Board chose to donate $1,000 to The Father’s House and $1,000 to the Literacy Volunteers of Cass County.
The Junior Board visited several organizations in the Cass County community over the course of the year, including the Cass County Community Foundation, the City of Logansport, Logansport Police Department, Steinberger Construction Inc., Workman and Associates, and the Emmaus Mission Center Food Pantry.
With the end of the year comes the “retirement” of outgoing officers Keirsten Nies, president (Pioneer Junior-Senior High School); Ian Kitchell, vice president (Pioneer); Eliana Cicalo, secretary (Lewis Cass High School); and Zachary Rogers, treasurer (Caston High School). Other outgoing seniors include Nicholas Park (Lewis Cass), Shayley Strasser (Caston), Ashanta Curry (Logansport High School) and Natalee Packard (Logansport).
This year’s junior students serving on the board will return in the fall as seniors, and the bank will welcome a new class of juniors for the 2025-26 school year. Students joining the Junior Board complete an application at each of their respective schools within our county (Logansport, Pioneer, Lewis Cass and Caston), and school administrators select the junior students who will go on to represent their corporations.
