Press Release Archive

After nine years at the bank, Bradley Bryant has made the decision to retire from the world of finance to focus full-time on his growing agri-business operation.

 

The Union State Bank Board of Directors has accepted the retirement of William (Bill) R. Docking as Chairman Emeritus of the Board.  

 

Union State Bank Vice President and Director of Treasury Services Amber Groene has been recognized as a Young Professional in Financial Services by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Union State Bank Vice President and Director of Human Resources Merresa Hanson has been recognized as a 2024 “Women Who Lead In Human Resources” by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Union State Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer LeRoy Heizelman has been recognized as a recipient of the 2024 CFO Awards by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Union State Bank President and CEO Eric Kurtz has been named an Executive of the Year for 2023 by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Union State Bank Vice President and Director of Marketing Clayton Pappan has been recognized as a Marketing Awards Honoree by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Michael McWhirt, Union State Bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer has announced the promotions of staff members Kelli Houchen and Amanda Conrad. 

 

Union State Bank recently celebrated the retirements of two long-time employees within the Cowley County market. Brenda Butters, Mortgage Loan Officer in Arkansas City, and Ruth Parman, Loan Administrative Assistant in Winfield have concluded their careers.

 

Brittany Welch of Union State Bank recently graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC).

 

Union State Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer Brittany Welch has been recognized as a Young Professional in Financial Services by the Wichita Business Journal. 

 

Union State Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer Brittany Welch recently received the “Four Under Forty” award by Emerge Harvey County. 

 

Eric Kurtz, President and CEO of Union State Bank (“USB”), headquartered in Arkansas City, Kansas, has announced that Shawn Wilson has joined USB as Executive Vice President / Chief Technology Officer.  

TurnKey Mortgage Grants Provide Up To $15,000 In Assistance to Home Buyers. Note: This program is not currently available.

 

Construction is underway for a new digital banking center in downtown Winfield, Kansas. Located at 121 W. 9^th, the location will feature 24/7 customer deposit and withdrawal capabilities through a deposit taking ATM.

 

Union State Bank has completed the expansion of their banking kiosk capabilities in several of their Kansas markets. To celebrate, the bank will be hosting a “Demo Day” on Friday, July 12^th in Ark City and Winfield. USB staff will provide customers with a five-dollar bill and hands-on guidance to try the new deposit taking ATM functionality. 

 

Union State Bank has partnered with Federal Home Loan Bank Topeka to offer the new Turnkey suite of mortgage assistance programs. Designed to provide down payment and closing cost assistance to low and moderate income homebuyers, the 2024 grant programs provide up to $15,000 for qualifying individuals throughout the Midwest. Note: This program is not currently available.

The Homeownership Possibilities Expanded (HOPE) program reached capacity, providing $4.1 million in reserved subsidy funds to qualified homebuyers within the first month of the program’s launch. HOPE is part of the new TurnKey suite of mortgage assistance programs offered through Union State Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) Topeka. Note: This program is not currently available.

 

Union State Bank offers a variety of low down payment programs, like Fannie Mae's HomeReady® mortgage loan, that can help make the process more manageable. 

Many communities have formed interactive and educational programs designed to guide middle and high school aged students as they begin to explore future careers. Union State Bank staff volunteer in these various student development programs as an impactful way to invest in the leaders of tomorrow.

 

The Cowley College Career and Technical Education Center campaign has crossed the $1.7 million mark thanks to Union State Bank and the Docking family. 

 

Union State Bank (USB) recently completed an internal drive to raise funds for United Way. The end result was $20,692 pledged by USB staff for 2024.

 

Union State Bank is a recipient of FHL Bank Topeka's annual community grant program. The grant, combined with additional funds from Union State Bank, allowed for us to provide each of our communities with a donation toward a local cause as nominated by our staff. 

 

Union State Bank staff have been making a significant impact this holiday season by supporting local traditions, hosting festive events, and giving back to their friends and neighbors. 

 

From high school homecomings to college kickoffs, USB’s team members are stepping up to create memorable game day experiences while fostering closer ties with customers and local residents.

 

April is Community Banking Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the important role that community banks play in their local economies. 

 

From August 20-22 approximately 57-hours were donated by bank employees to Wichita area organizations in conjunction with United Way’s “Week of Action.”

Union State Bank has seen a recent increase in fraud attempts by scammers and is spreading awareness in hopes of protecting their customers as well as others within the community.

 

In a modern twist on an age old bank fraud scam, thousands of Chase Bank customers reportedly took advantage of a “system glitch” allowing an individual to deposit a check and then immediately withdraw the full funds in cash.

 

We monitor debit card and ATM transactions for suspicious activity 24-hours a day through EnFact, an intuitive fraud detection program. In addition, USB customers can monitor and manage their cards directly with the CardValet® mobile app.

 

A number of fraudulent text messages, carefully designed to mimic legitimate card fraud alerts, have recently been reported in the area. 

Union State Bank has expanded their presence in the Wichita market with the recent addition of a corporate office space located within the Uptown Landing development area on East Douglas.

 

In the coming weeks, a new look and logo will begin to be phased in for all USB locations. 

 

Union State Bank (USB) celebrated the 115^th anniversary of the bank’s charter issuance on December 29^th.

 

Union State Bank recently surveyed their customers to better understand individuals’ financial goals and how the economy may be impacting their immediate plans.