Galena State Promotes a President from Its Parent Company

Heartland Financial USA (HTLF), a multibank holding company in Dubuque, Iowa, has swapped executives with one of its subsidiaries through a pair of promotions.

Robert Eby has been named the president and chief executive of the $295 million-asset Galena State Bank & Trust in Illinois, where he will be in charge of leading the bank's commercial, retail, investment and wealth management operations. He is being promoted from senior vice president in the credit office of Heartland Financial USA, the company announced in a news release on Wednesday.

As Eby leaves the Heartland Financial credit office, his predecessor at Galena State is joining it. Drew Townsend has left the role of president and CEO at Galena State to become deputy chief credit officer at the $4.6 billion-asset Heartland Financial.

"When the position was created for a deputy chief credit officer, Drew realized that might be something of interest," said Heartland Financial USA Executive Vice President John Berg. "And Bob was an executive in the credit department, but he aspired to get out in the field. So when we announced that Drew was going to be promoted, Bob raised his hand and volunteered."

Eby has been with Heartland Financial USA for six years, and before that was with First Star Mercantile of Dubuque. Townsend has been president and CEO of Galena State Bank & Trust since 2003.

Galena State operates four branches in Jo Daviess County, Ill. Heartland Financial USA has 10 chartered subsidiaries, operating a total of 68 branches across 14 states in the Midwest and West.

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