Banker who ‘connects the dots’ strengthens the culture for Iowa bankAcquiring and building a bank requires being willing to combine localized service with an eye for expansion..Twin Cedars Bancorp in the small southern Iowa town of Bussey is no exception. Founder, Chair and CEO Rudy Fors and partners acquired the bank on July 1, 2022. The bank, founded as the Bank of Bussey in 1892, had operated under the State Bank of Bussey name and charter for 95 years.Fors wanted to start a de novo, especially as a way to fulfill his lifelong dream of building something. His father worked in finance, eventually becoming a partner at Apollo Global Asset Management. Fors himself had always wanted to become a bank president, because of the impact he saw them make in their communities by helping residents buy a home or expand a farm.Fors is also president and CEO of Ankeny, Iowa-based boutique advisory and consulting company 5th Campus Investments. A senior vice president of commercial banking at Spencer, Iowa-based Northwest Bank from 2020-22, Fors was a business banking executive at U.S. Bank from 2010-20.“We have a responsibility and obligation to help our community, and I love that about banking,” he said. “I had some great bankers when I stepped into banking—and that I worked with and for—people who I respected and admired.”With his unique background and interests, Fors is being recognized as a 2026 BankBeat magazine “Rising Star in Banking.”Though Fors, 43, once wanted to launch a de novo, he changed his mind after getting to know the former owners of State Bank of Bussey—Kim and Jaci Hansen. Fors wanted the bank to grow in central Iowa while undertaking a digital transformation and methodically growing outside the state through connections with owners and bankers.Fors sees his passion reflected at Twin Cedars, through helping customers achieve personal goals, or internally through effective programs, policies and procedures.“Whether it was starting out in banking, building a portfolio and growing clients, and then you could see how you could help them grow their businesses when they were met with challenges,” Fors said.Fors’ banking knowledge and experience make him a strong Rising Star in Banking, said Jaci Hansen, now a vice president and assistant cashier. “It led him to be able to do what he is doing here,” she said.Hansen said Fors’ group was chosen to acquire the bank because of their shared vision with her family. “He’s easy to talk to,” she said. “One of the reasons why we chose him and his group is because they tend to be family-friendly, and we didn’t want our current employees to lose their jobs.”Today, Twin Cedars Bancorp finances businesses in 33 states, including a large distributorship in Idaho. The bank, $49 million when the deal closed, now has $125 million in assets on the books. The company was placed on the Inc. 5000 List in 2024 and ’25.“Consecutive national recognition reflects sustained high growth—not just a one-year spike—and demonstrates that the rebuild translated into real financial performance,” said Fors’ nominator, business administration employee Rhonda Housken.Twin Cedars, which started with $5 million in seed money he provided and a half-dozen investors, has grown in the past four years to more than 40 local investors. Despite their national presence, virtually all of Twin Cedars’ 20 employees are based in Iowa.“We were fortunate to have a lot of people who were interested in helping be part of building a bank and helping it flourish and helping preserve the community,” Fors said. “That advocate-based shareholder position, there are some really good people who wanted to help out.“Iowa is a fundamentally sound and resilient place to do business, with a mix of ag and business and consumer banking opportunities to offset different cycles,” he added.Fors described his leadership approach as centered around employee growth, providing them room to make—and fix—mistakes. His approach was put into action during the building of Twin Cedars. Even when the bank could not find staff who met every listed qualification, it prioritized potential employees who he sensed had the desire to succeed.“I want to make sure people are supported,” Fors said. “I am a believer in the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Being present and available is important in what we do every day. I want people to know I can step in and help them with their work, empower them to be their best versions of themselves every day and continue to grow.”Twin Cedars Bancorp is seeking expansion, potentially securing more capital to do so. “We would like to continue to expand commercial and ag banking,” Fors said. “We’ve primarily prided ourselves as a boutique business and ag and wealth bank, so our vision is to organically grow the bank, and where the right doors open for us we will continue to lean into them.”
