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Association News
For more information contact:
Nancy Jennings, WIB
415-352-2323
For Immediate Release
March 15, 20132
Western Independent Bankers Names New President & CEO
SAN FRANCISCO, March 15, 2013 — Western Independent Bankers (WIB), a trade association and provider of education, endorsed products and services and peer networking opportunities for community banks, today announced the appointment of Ellen Sas, age 47, as its new President to replace current President & CEO Nancy Sheppard, who will retire from WIB on May 2 after 24 years. Sas will assume the title of CEO upon Sheppard’s departure.
Following a regional search by Chrisman & Company, the WIB Board of Directors selected Sas because of her leadership skills and experience in the community banking environment, including as a former chair of the WIB Service Corporation and a member of the WIB Board. Among her community banking executive roles, she has served as president and CEO of Seattle Bank and president, CEO and chair of NorthStar Bank. Most recently, Sas worked as a consultant to a variety of financial services firms.
Dennis Long, WIB chairman and president and CEO of Bank of the Pacific in Washington said, “All the personal characteristics and skills that our Search Committee wanted were found in Ellen. Her experience in community banking, coupled with her experience with WIB, make her the ideal next president and CEO. As we did with Nancy Sheppard, we expect to have many great years with Ellen leading the charge for WIB!”
Sas was recognized nationally as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking in 2005 by U.S. Banker magazine. She was rated number one on this list of “Youngest Stars” and number three on this list of “The Fast Lane”. She is a certified public accountant, has been a partner at McGladrey & Pullen and started her career in public accounting at Ernst & Young, where she specialized in financial service companies and not-for-profit organizations.
Janet Garufis, incoming WIB chair and president and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust in California said, “She has a demonstrated leadership record that touches many of WIB’s stakeholders. In her, we are witness to the type of person who can lead the organization to solutions to many of the challenges facing both the community banks and the association.”
Sas plans to establish a residence in San Francisco where the association’s headquarters are located.
For more information contact:
Nancy Jennings, WIB
415-352-2323
For Immediate Release
November 13, 2012
Western Independent Bankers President & CEO Announces Retirement
SAN FRANCISCO, November 13, 2012— Western Independent Bankers (WIB), a trade association and provider of education, endorsed products and services and peer networking opportunities for community banks, today announced the retirement of Nancy E. Sheppard, president and CEO. Sheppard will continue to serve until a successor is named and the CEO transition is complete, with an estimated completion date of April 2013.
“After 25 years as the CEO of WIB and 34 years in banking association management, it’s time for me to let someone else seize the WIB reins and take the association to the next step,” Sheppard said. “It’s been a wonderful career and I have great respect for the independent banking community. I’ve been blessed with many wonderful relationships built along the way and I look forward to seeing the good work of WIB continue on.”
Dennis Long, WIB chairman and president and CEO of Bank of the Pacific in Washington, said, “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Nancy for her devoted service to both WIB and the community banking industry. She has effectively led the organization through some of the most challenging times in community banking history. Nancy leaves WIB with strong financials and a culture for excellence and personal service that is well-known. We wish Nancy a happy and healthy future.”
The board has formed a search committee and engaged the financial services banking executive search firm Chrisman & Company. “The board is committed to conducting a thorough search to identify the right candidate to serve as WIB’s next president and CEO,” said Long. “We are planning to have a new president and CEO in place by the WIB Annual Conference for Bank Presidents, Senior Officers & Directors, March 23-27, 2013 in Hawaii, where a Farewell Reception will be held in Nancy’s honor.”
Sheppard joined Western Independent Bankers in 1988 as the CEO. Prior to joining the association, she spent nine years with the California Bankers Association and spent six years at the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
Sheppard is one of only a few banking association executives throughout the nation who has served for more than 20 years in the CEO role. WIB was one of the first banking associations to select a woman for their top leadership position. In 2011, she was honored as one of the most influential business women by the San Francisco Business Times. Sheppard serves as the San Francisco Chair of Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, a non-profit organization she indicates she will devote more time to after her retirement from WIB.
About Western Independent Bankers
Established in 1937, Western Independent Bankers (WIB) is the premier networking and educational organization for community banks in the West, connecting leaders from a wide geographical area to engage in focused exchanges of experiences that typically don’t take place elsewhere. WIB informs, educates and connects community banks with the resources and services to achieve the highest standards of personal and organizational performance. WIB has 200 bank members and 187 community bank service providers. For more information go to www.wib.org.