By MARY HORAN
Vice President Director of Marketing, Public Relations
Lake City Bank

WARSAW — Lake City Bank announced that Matt R. Smith has been promoted to special assets officer.

In this position, Smith works with loan officers and customers to resolve issues associated with commercial loans and works on risk issues associated with the loan approval process.

Lake City Bank also announced Joe Kessie, senior vice president and regional manager of commercial banking, was recently elected incoming chairman of the American Bankers Association Agricultural and Rural Bankers Committee, which works to advance American agriculture and the economic growth of rural America. 

“Joe’s long experience in working with the agriculture industry in Indiana will serve him well in leading this national committee,” said David M. Findlay, president and chief executive officer. “He knows the industry inside and out, and has always been generous in sharing his experience and expertise to support the agribusiness sector in our Indiana markets.”

Kessie has 32 years of banking experience, including the last 18 years at Lake City Bank. He has a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Kessie is a past recipient of the Outstanding Agri-Banker Award for the state of Indiana and Lake City Bank’s Presidential Citation Award. He is past chairman and currently serves as treasurer for the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation. He is a director of Parkview Whitley Hospital and the Indiana Grain Indemnity Corporation and is a member of the executive committee of the Farm Financial Standards Council.