PREMIER OBL BANK LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CONTINUES SUCCESS NEW FACILITATORS RECEIVE RAVE REVIEWS

The OBL Bank Leadership Institute continues its reputation as a premier program for the Ohio Bankers League. Under the facilitation by instructors Joe Micallef, Sales Strategist & Coach, Grow Up Sales, and Debbie Peterson, Career & Leadership Development Strategist, Getting to Clarity LLC, the four-part program is once again receiving rave reviews from its students.

The 2022-2023 class is one of the largest in the program’s history, as 26 leaders graduated from the program at the OBL Education Center in April 2023. The students not only dove into topics such as SelfLeadership, Leadership Excellence and Communication; they also actively participated in the 2023 OBL DC Fly-In in February among more than 80 industry leaders.

At graduation, Peterson noted, “To the banks that have identified the leadership potential in their teams and trusted them to us at the OBL Bank Leadership Institute, we say thank you. It was a sincere pleasure to co-lead this cohort with Joe Micallef and to see such talent come through the doors with an openness and curiosity to learn. This class played full out, spoke vulnerably, and participated for themselves, and more so, for the benefit of the entire group.”

Speaking of the instructors, student Sara McCarty, vice president, commercial lending at Portage Community Bank, shared, “Debbie and Joe, you have provided us with so many great skills to be better leaders in both our personal and professional lives, which ultimately benefits our families, the organizations we work for and the communities in which we live and work.” She continued to her classmates, “Great leaders dare to be different and are not head down. They see around corners and shape the future rather than reacting to it. That’s what we have been challenged to do; to embrace what makes us different and to shape the way forward.”

Instructor Joe Micallef added, "During the program we learned that these leaders are smart, brave, fun and caring. This program is designed to help make those attributes shine, and they certainly did with this year's participants. We are looking forward to helping more leaders do more, be more and achieve more with this program."

As of the time of publication, the 2023-2024 OBL Bank Leadership Institute has sold out. To inquire about joining the waiting list, please contact Susan Poling Jones at spoling@ohiobakersleague.com at your next opportunity.

OBL BLI CLASS OF 2022-2023

Niki Ropp Citizens Federal S&L Assoc. of Bellefontaine

Heather Daoud Civista Bank

Tyler Burkle Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Matthew Hartman Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Diana Setty First State Bank

Lynn Kegley Hometown Bank

Tony Bunce LCNB National Bank

Tyler Tepe LCNB National Bank

Dakota Durbin Mechanics Bank

Doug Thompson Monroe Federal Savings and Loan Association

Paige Houlihan Ohio Bankers League

Kimberley Mason Ohio Bankers League

Brian Elder Park National Bank

Melissa Stickel Park National Bank

Sara McCarty Portage Community Bank

Oly Rex The Citizens National Bank of McConnelsville

Judy Pusateri

The Farmers & Merchants State Bank

Jen Vastano The First National Bank of Pandora

Sarah Greene The Hocking Valley Bank

Natasha Arcaro The North Side Bank and Trust Company

Johnetta Woods

The North Side Bank and Trust Company

Joel Elliott The Ohio Valley Bank Company

Benjamin Pewitt The Ohio Valley Bank Company

Serena Gaytan The Union Bank Company

Sam Cornwall Valley Central Bank

Dan Bender Westfield Bank, FSB