Outstanding Women in Banking

Each fall, we honor Outstanding Women in Banking. Nominations for bankers who have made outstanding contributions to their bank, industry and community are accepted at any time. Nominations should include a description of the specific contributions nominees have made in these three areas. Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 10.

For the BankBeat print magazine, nominated bankers should work in one of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin or Wyoming.

Send nominations to Tom Bengtson at tom@nfrcom.com or use snail mail: NFR Communications, 250 Prairie Center Drive, Ste. 300, Eden Prairie, MN 55344.

Click HERE to nominate a banker online.

2024 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

BankBeat

Terri Barrett, Bravera Bank, Dickinson, N.D.
Mary Jayne Crocker, Bridgewater Bank, St. Louis Park, Minn.
Kathy Headley, ACCESSBank, Omaha, Neb.
Jacqueline Ruge-Perkins, First State Bank of Porter, Ind.
Kris Robbins, First Interstate Bank, Billings, Mont.
Laura Wildenborg, Sunrise Banks, St. Paul, Minn.

BankNews

Jill Castilla, Citizens Bank of Edmond, Okla.
Danielle Smith, Nebraska Bank of Commerce, Lincoln
Shannon Johnson, UMB Bank, Kansas City, Mo.
Leslie Sedlock, First National Bank of Eagle Lake, Texas.
Jennifer Luce, FirstBank, Castle Rock, Colo.

2023 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

BankBeat

Leann Nelson, Marci Knight, Mary Hendrickson, Beth Hyduke and Christina Cavallin, Park State Bank, Duluth, Minn.
Deneen Axtman, Cornerstone Bank, Fargo, N.D.
Kelsey Stupfell, TS Banking Group, Treynor, Iowa.
Amy Meyer, BankVista, Sartell, Minn.
Nancy Rosentrater, Oxford Bank, Oxford, Mich.
Sue Lee, Highland Bank, St. Paul, Minn.

BankNews

Angie Eilrich, First Bank Kansas, Salina.
Tammy Gibbons, Spring Hill State Bank, Longview, Texas
Nayer Sikder, American Bank of Commerce, Austin
Janice Spooner, Great Plains Bank, Elk City, Okla.

2022 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

BankBeat

Mary Williams, United Bankers’ Bank, Bloomington, Minn.
Jamie Nelson, TruCommunity Bank, Garrison, N.D.
Julie Benedict, Security First Bank, Rushville, Neb.
Sherri Reagin, North Salem State Bank, North Salem, Ind.
Pennie Lutz, Richland State Bank, Bruce, S.D.
Brenda Franke, Star Bank, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Emily Abbas, Bankers’ Trust, Des Moines, Iowa
Jenny Provancher, The Equitable Bank, Wauwatosa, Wis.

BankNews

Rosa Rivera, Dream First Bank, Syracuse, Kan.
Ashley O'Neal, Midwest BankCentre, St. Louis
Amber Burge, Flatwater State Bank, Gothenburg, Neb.
Jan Mills, First National Bank of Winnsboro, Texas

2021 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Marcy Mutch, Jodi Delahunt Hubbell, Rachel Turitto, Lorrie Asker, Jocelyn Lane and Tawnie Nelson, First Interstate Bank, Billings, Mont.
Mary Buche, Bank of Labor, Kansas City, Kan.
Anita Drentlaw, New Market Bank, Elko New Market, Minn.
Tammy Sexton, First Central Bank McCook, Cambridge, Neb.
Maureen Jorgensen, Peoples State Bank, Wausau, Wis.
Stephanie Christian, WCF Financial Bank, Independence, Iowa
Betsy Johnson, Solutions Bank, Forreston, Ill.

2020 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Aleesha Webb, Megan Effertz, Michelle Anderson and Beth Ecklund, Village Bank, Blaine, Minn.
Barb Smith, RiverWood Bank, Baxter, Minn.
Kathleen Bruegenhemke, Hawthorn Bank, Jefferson City, Mo.
Kathy Schoettlin, Old National Bank, Evansville, Ind.
Edith Farrell, Union Bank, Lake Odessa, Mich.
Rebecca Diaz, Legacy Bank, Pueblo, Colo.

2019 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Lori Raabe, Park Bank, Holmen, Wis.
Jessica Carroll, The New Washington Bank, Charlestown, Ind.
Erin Procko, Bell Bank, Bloomington, Minn.
Christine Obenauer, Union State Bank, Hazen, N.D.
Peg Scott, Union State Bank, Greenfield, Iowa
Krista Tschetter, First Bank & Trust, Sioux Falls, S.D.

2018 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Karin Taylor, MidWestOne Bank, Iowa City, Iowa
Betty Yott, HomeStar Bank & Financial Services, Manteno, Ill.
Sharon Manke, First Bank Financial Center, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Paige Bjornson, Dacotah Bank, Valley City, N.D.
Katie Incantalupo, Star Bank, Eden Prairie, Minn.

2017 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Julie Dahle, Choice Financial, Bismarck, N.D.
Connie Lonneman, First State Bank Southwest, Worthington, Minn.
Jennifer Jakel, AbbyBank, Abbotsford, Wis.
Elyse Smithback, Oregon Community Bank, Oregon, Wis.
Shane Pilarski, Alliance Bank, Francesville, Ind.

2016 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Karen Gregerson, The Farmers Bank, Frankfort, Ind.
Tirzah Wedewer, F&M Bank, Manchester, Iowa
Susan Koranda, Security Bank, Laurel, Neb.
Nichol Beckstrand, Sunrise Banks, St. Paul, Minn.
Jan Odin, Unison Bank, Jamestown, N.D.
Leann Stessman, Park State Bank, Minneapolis

2015 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Edie Tholo, Bankers' Bank, Madison, Wis.
Debbie Maw, HomeStar Bank & Financial Services, Manteno, Ill.
Deb Otto, Beacon Bank, Duluth, Minn.
Val Fick, Security State Bank, Fergus Falls, Minn.
Kris Holoch, Cornerstone Bank, York, Neb.
Kristina Schaefer, Fishback Financial Corp., Brookings, S.D.

2014 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Jean Ann Honegger, Morton Community Bank, Morton, Ill.
Trish Ellison, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Debra Norstad, First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Cannon Falls, Minn.
Sherry Lervik, State Bank of Bottineau, N.D.
Annette Russell, Security Federal Savings Bank, Logansport, Ind.

2013 Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees:

Kim Schroll, NebraskaLand National Bank, North Platte, Neb.
Lori Allan, Beacon Bank, Duluth, Minn.
Emily Hofer, Merchants State Bank, Freeman, S.D.
Rose Wageman, First Eagle Bank, Chicago
Dawn Zimmer, Bank Midwest, Spirit Lake, Iowa

Past Outstanding Women in Banking Honorees: