ABA Nominates Officers Board for 2026-2027

The American Bankers Association’s Nominating Committee has finalized the official slate of candidates to be presented for election at the association’s annual meeting scheduled for Oct. 27 in Salt Lake City.

The committee, chaired by John C. Asbury, chief executive officer, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp., Richmond, Va., nominated the following candidates for ABA officer positions:

• CHAIR: Catherine Owen, executive chair, Eagle Bank & Trust Company, and chair and CEO, State Holding Company, Little Rock, Ark.;
• CHAIR-ELECT: James C. Ryan III, chairman and CEO, Old National Bancorp, Evansville, Ind.;
• VICE CHAIR: Thomas J. Fraser, president and CEO, First Mutual Holding Co., Lakewood, Ohio; and
• TREASURER: David Osborn, president and CEO, WestStar Bank, El Paso, Texas.
  
  

The committee also nominated the following candidates for the ABA board of directors for consideration at the ABA annual meeting:

• Gregory T. Hayes, president and CEO, Kish Bank, State College, Pa.; 
• William (Brad) Kessel, president and CEO, Independent Bank Corp, Grand Rapids, Mich.;
• D. Shane Loper, president and COO, Hancock Whitney Bank, Gulfport, Miss.;
• Christopher Maher, chairman and chief executive officer, OceanFirst Financial Corp., Red Bank, N.J.; and
• Troy Rohrbaugh, co-president of JPMorganChase and CEO of Consumer & Community Banking, New York.
  
  

The above nominees will join ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols, who also serves as an officer, and these current or appointed directors on ABA’s board:

• Mary Kay Bates, president and CEO, Bank Midwest, Spirit Lake, Iowa;
• Cynthia N. Day, president and CEO, Citizens Trust Bank, Atlanta;
• Kyle G. Hranicky, CEO, Commercial Banking, Wells Fargo & Company, San Francisco;
• Jeffrey T. Kanger, president, First State Bank Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.;
• Jennifer T. Jones, president and CEO, CBL State Savings Bank, Greer, S.C.;
• Curtis J. Myers, chairman and CEO, Fulton Financial Corporation, Lancaster, Pa.; 
• Holly O’Neill, president, Consumer, Retail and Preferred, Bank of America, Boston;
• Mark W. Schifferdecker, chairman, president and CEO, GNBank N.A., Girard, Kan.;
• Anne P. Tangen, president and CEO, BankFive, MHC, Fall River, Mass.; 
• Gregg R. Tewksbury, president and CEO, New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp, Concord, N.H.;
• Kenneth Kelly, chairman and CEO, First Independence Bank, Detroit, and chair of the ABA Nominating Committee;
• Christie Huber Obenauer, president and CEO, Union State Bank of Hazen, Hazen, N.D., and chair of the ABA Government Relations Council;
• Paul T. Hickman; president and CEO, Arizona Bankers Association, Phoenix, and chair of the ABA/State Association Alliance; and
• Richard Baier; president and CEO, Nebraska Bankers Association, Lincoln, Neb., and vice chair of the ABA/State Association Alliance.
  
  

“The banking industry benefits from leaders who bring a wide range of perspectives, experience and ideas to the table, and this year’s nominees exemplify that strength,” said ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols. “Their collective banking expertise will help guide ABA as we advocate for policies that support economic opportunity, meet the evolving needs of customers and communities, and position our industry for long-term success.”