UNION STATE BANK RECOGNIZES TEAMS AT QUARTERLY CELEBRATION
Published October 2026
Union State Bank employees gathered in Newton, KS, on October 12th for the Bank’s Quarterly Celebration, an opportunity to recognize achievements, celebrate outstanding service and honor the employees and teams who make a difference for customers and communities.
CEO Eric Kurtz welcomed employees and reflected on the importance of recognizing the people behind the Bank’s accomplishments. “Success is rarely about one big moment or one person doing it all. It comes from teammates showing up for one another, taking great care of our customers, and working together day after day.”
The celebration featured team awards recognizing accomplishments in lending, deposits, customer growth and retention. The Bartlesville, OK, team led the evening, earning awards for loan growth, opening the most new checking accounts and bringing in the most new customers. The Edmond, OK, and Winfield, KS, teams also earned recognition for their contributions to growth and customer retention.
Individual employees were honored for the unique ways they support Union State Bank and the customers they serve.
Stephen Woodburn, a mortgage lender serving Cowley County, Kansas, was recognized for the impact he has made as a newer employee. He received the “Rising Star Award” for his helpfulness and willingness to go the extra mile. One example shared during the presentation involved Stephen patiently helping a lost customer with directions, even after discovering the customer was in the wrong town.
“That is going the extra mile without ever leaving the office,” the presentation noted. Stephen has also become one of the Bank’s recognizable faces in TikTok videos, demonstrating his enthusiasm and willingness to help the Bank connect with its customers.
Bill Fischer, Union State Bank’s Controller based at the Wichita West location, was recognized with the Unsung Hero Award for quietly stepping in wherever needed and demonstrating care for the Bank and the surrounding community. In addition to spending lunch breaks picking up debris around the Bank’s parking lot, Bill became an unofficial caretaker of a family of rabbits that made a home in his window well.
As the presentation humorously recognized, “Bill looks after the Bank inside, outside, and one window well at a time.” His thoughtfulness and initiative reflect a commitment that extends beyond his daily responsibilities.
Sean Heaton, Customer Service Representative in Newton, KS, received the Spark Plug Award for the enthusiasm and positive energy he brings to his work. Whether helping customers, encouraging coworkers or appearing in Bank videos, Sean’s passion for what he does is hard to miss. As the award presentation described it, his love for his job is “genuine, contagious, and impossible to miss.”
Pamela Asche, Branch Coordinator at USB’s Winfield South location, earned the Customer Champion Award after receiving six positive Google reviews from customers. As the award presentation noted, “Getting someone to leave a review can be harder than getting them to read all the terms and conditions, so six glowing reviews say a great deal about the care, attention, and outstanding service she consistently provides.”
Finally, Kiley Broyles, Deposit Imaging and Review Specialist, received the Employee Choice Award. The recognition is especially meaningful because recipients are nominated by fellow employees. Her coworkers highlighted her knowledge, willingness to help others, commitment to customer service, positive attitude and ability to manage multiple responsibilities.
The presentation emphasized the significance of peer recognition: “Because this recognition comes from the people who work alongside her, it says a great deal about the impact Kiley makes each day.” Her expertise and helpfulness make work easier for her teammates and contribute to a better customer experience.
The celebration highlighted just a portion of the great work happening throughout Union State Bank. As Kurtz noted in his closing remarks, “Every employee has an opportunity to contribute to our success through the way we serve our customers, support our coworkers, manage our responsibilities, and represent the Bank in our communities.”
Union State Bank congratulates all of this quarter’s award recipients and thanks its employees for the dedication, teamwork and service they bring to customers every day.