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Ken Karels has guided the South Dakota company through an initial public offering and its first acquisition in three years. He is worth watching next year as ag lending comes under pressure and as Great Western continues hunting for acquisitions.

How can your company avoid missteps? By engaging with your shareholders in a constructive way. Dialogue between companies and shareholders — if approached in the right spirit — can yield valuable strategic insights and positively impact financial performance.

F&M Bank in Clarksville, Tenn., has named Tennessee banking veteran Brad Barrett to its board of directors.

After being elected to the Glendora City Council in March, Mendell Thompson, president and CEO of $303 million America’s Christian Credit Union, was able to make an immediate positive impact for local CUs.

Robert Chavez, president and CEO of Sandia Laboratory FCU, was appointed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC).

Middleburg Financial in Middleburg, Va., plans to record a $3 million impairment charge tied to a participation loan in which the borrower has been accused of fraud.

American Banker predicted these five community bankers would make news in 2015, and they did not disappoint. Some pursued M&A, one went public, and one even helped break up his bank.

Franklin Savings Bank in Franklin, N.H., has tapped its chief operating officer to succeed Jeffery Savage, when he retires as CEO next year.

A Great Basin FCU executive who had left is now back with the Reno-based CU and other credit union reps in the news.

Another institution helped push New York Community Bancorp to add cash to its bid, a filing disclosed. While Astoria's board was concerned about NYCB's plans for an aggressive balance sheet restructuring and capital raise, management believed the other suitor's offer had more execution risk.

Finally released from a long-standing regulatory order, FNBH in Michigan is looking forward to ramping its lending, expanding its capabilities in wealth management and moving forward on plans to revamp its core processing system.

Cullen/Frost Bankers in San Antonio has named the leader of a jewelry store chain to its board.

Rockhold, Brown & Co. Bank in Bainbridge, Ohio, has tapped its chief financial officer to succeed Bill Hubbard as chief executive.

First Farmers and Merchants in Columbia, Tenn., promoted Brian Williams to president of both the holding company and First Farmers and Merchants Bank. The $1.2 billion-asset company also named Timothy Pettus vice chairman of the holding company and bank.

For steering the Winston-Salem, N.C., company through an extended period of industry adversity, while providing a blueprint for large-scale M&A, King has been named American Banker's Banker of the Year for 2015.

First United Corp. in Oakland, Md., has named Carissa Rodeheaver chairman and chief executive.

Boston Private Financial Holdings has appointed its chief executive, Clayton Deutsch, as CEO of its bank subsidiary, Boston Private Bank & Trust.

Hancock Holding's decision to significantly raise its allowance for energy loan losses reveals that oil-related issues could last longer — and cut deeper — than what bankers had originally forecast.

The $4.8 billion-asset holding company for Southside Bank gave Lee Gibson the additional titles of president of both the holding company and Southside Bank.

The $560 million-asset holding company for SouthCrest Bank did not provide a reason for Kenneth Maloy's departure.