Appleton banker elected as chair of Wisconsin Bankers Association

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Paul Northway, president and CEO of American National Bank Fox Cities, Appleton, has been elected to serve as the 2025–2026 board chair of the Wisconsin Bankers Association.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association is the state’s largest financial industry trade association, representing nearly 180 commercial banks and savings associations, their branches, and 30,000 employees.

“We are pleased to welcome Paul as chair of the WBA Board,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBA president and CEO. “He will do an excellent job of leading our Board and industry forward through new economic cycles and potential challenges.”

Northway earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and his MBA at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. He also completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He serves on the Chancellor’s Council of Trustees of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay as well as the board of directors of The Bellin Health Foundation.

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Also serving as officers on the WBA Board are Chair-Elect Joseph (Joe) Peikert, CEO, Wolf River Community Bank, Hortonville; Vice Chair Greg Lundberg, president and CEO, Fortifi Bank, Berlin; and Past Chair Alvaro (Al) Araque, SVP, director of consumer, private, and business banking, Johnson Financial Group, Racine.

Joining the board for three-year terms are Jim Hartlieb, president and CEO, First Business Bank, Madison; Nathaniel (Nate) Parrish, president, First Citizens State Bank, Whitewater; Lindsay Spitzer, president and CEO, Bluff View Bank, Galesville; and Eric Witczak, executive vice president and COO, Nicolet National Bank, Green Bay.

Those continuing their terms on the Board are Tina DeGustino, regional president, BMO Bank, Milwaukee; Kelly Heroux, president and CEO, Peshtigo National Bank; Shay Horton, president and CEO, Cumberland Federal Bank; Shane Ilstrup, president, Citizens First Bank, Trempealeau; Jimmy Kauffman, president and CEO, Bank of Sun Prairie; Todd Nagel, president and CEO, IncredibleBank, Wausau; Timothy (Tim) Schneider, president and CEO, Bank Five Nine, Oconomowoc; and Bill Sennholz, CEO, Forward Bank, Marshfield.

Board members who completed their terms in 2024–2025 are Donna Hoppenjan, Mound City Bank, Platteville; Paul Hoffmann, Lake Ridge Bank, Middleton; Ryan Kamphuis, Bristol Morgan Bank, Oakfield; and Tom Mews, FNC Bank, New Richmond.

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