Former IBA president/CEO honored with Leach Award

DES MOINES — John Sorensen, former president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association, was awarded the association's highest honor — the James A. Leach Leadership Award. The presentation was made Sept 22 at the annual IBA convention. .This year marks the 25th anniversary of the award, which was started by Sorensen, who joined the IBA in 1986 and served as its president and CEO for 28 years until he retired at the end of 2024."His passion for the industry was always recognized by policymakers and regulators," said Mary Kay Bates, president of Bank Midwest, Okoboji, who presented the award. She noted that under Sorensen's leadership, the IBA grew to become the nation's largest state banker association, with revenue quadrupling during his tenure, resulting in a 70-fold increase in its net worth. During his career, Sorensen chaired the National Alliance of State Banking Associations, the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Iowa Society of Association Executives. Recognized with the 2006 Leadership for Iowa Award, he served on numerous boards, such as the Iowa Business Council, Iowa Business Growth Company, Iowa Community Development and SHAZAM. He serves on the board of West Bank of Des Moines and he is board member emeritus of the University of Northern Iowa's David W. Wilson College of Business. "It was my honor to tell your story for 39 years, to tell the story about smart, thoughtful, community-minded people who make a difference in the lives of Iowans,” Sorensen said upon acceptance of the award before some 700 people at a luncheon at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Sorensen thanked many people, including Claudia Ross, his executive assistant when he joined the IBA. "Twenty years earlier she was my babysitter," he shared. "She will tell you the jobs were not that different!"Sorensen also thanked Neil Milner, whom he called "his mentor," and others including former colleagues Wes Ehrecke, Dan Vessely, Merritt Krause, Beau Gamble and Sharon Presnall. "For me, it is especially meaningful to receive this award on the 25th anniversary, 10 months after Jim Leach's passing last December," Sorensen said. "Jim became chairman of the House Banking Committee about the same time I became president and CEO of the IBA. He was both a mentor and a friend to me. Most of all, Jim was proud of his home state, and proud of the bankers and to serve them."The IBA established the Leach Award in 2000. It is named after Rep. James Leach, who served as chair of the Financial Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. The award recognizes a distinguished Iowan who has made significant, lifelong contributions to the banking industry that help it serve Iowa communities.