LA VISTA, Neb. – May 8, 2026 – Sixteen bankers graduated from the Nebraska Bankers Association’s Leadership Program, while the next class of bankers were presented as the NBA Leadership Class of 2028 during the association’s annual convention.
The Nebraska Bankers Association created the Leadership Program to enhance the leadership, organizational and performance skills of highly motivated, mid-to upper-level bankers. The program establishes a network of bank leaders who understand and can respond to local and national issues impacting the banking industry. Individuals completing the two-year program attend six practical sessions, each concentrating on an area of successful business operation, as well as a variety of NBA programs.
Leadership Class of 2026
The following bankers graduated as members of the NBA Leadership Class of 2026:
· Kellie Ceder, Columbus Bank and Trust Co., Columbus
· Derek Downer, Waypoint Bank, Cambridge
· Travis Fraser, South Central State Bank, Blue Hill
· Megan Froehlich, West Gate Bank, Omaha
· Ines Gonzalez, Home Federal Bank, Grand Island
· Ryan Groteluschen, Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg
· Brent Hogan, Security Bank, Laurel
· Seth Mangels, Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust, Norfolk
· Ken Mehlin, Bruning Bank, Kearney
· Derek Minshull, NebraskaLand Bank, North Platte
· Justin Ott, Henderson State Bank, Henderson
· Erin Rea, Union Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln
· Trenton Scheitel, Nebraska Bank, Falls City
· Wade Shipman, Western Nebraska Bank, Curtis
· Trey Strong, Citizens State Bank, Carleton
· Colton Stull, Nebraska Bank, Hickman
Leadership Class of 2028
The following bankers were selected as members of the NBA Leadership Class of 2028:
· Collin Daily, First Nebraska Bank, Valley
· Jennifer Dougherty, West Gate Bank, Lincoln
· Tiffany Gatzemeyer, Nebraska Bank, Carroll
· Andy Gdowski, Equitable Bank, Grand Island
· Joshua Johnson, Columbus Bank & Trust Co., Columbus
· Jordon Kavan, Union Bank & Trust Co., Wahoo
· Blair Koehn, i3 Bank, Bennington
· Jacqueline Kucera, South Central State Bank, Blue Hill
· Holly Kuhl, First State Bank Nebraska, Lincoln
· Lindsay Lindmier, Security National Bank of Omaha, Omaha
· Sonny Manley, Bruning Bank, Hebron
· Jay Perkins, Cornhusker Bank, Lincoln
· Isaac Schelkopf, Cornerstone Bank, Harvard
· Kyla Spahr, Security Bank, Laurel
· Hank Sunderman, MNB Bank, Hastings
· Amy Wolfskill, NebraskaLand Bank, North Platte