County National Bank Announces Promotions

John R. Waldron, President and CEO of County National Bank (“CNB”), is pleased to announce the recent promotion of several members of the CNB team.

Ray Briner has been promoted to Commercial Loan Officer. Ray joined County National Bank in August of 2009 and has 12 years of banking experience. He served CNB as a credit analyst and transitioned to the senior analyst position before moving into the Commercial Loan Department as a lender. Ray has served our commercial clients well, and was instrumental in assisting clients with Paycheck Protection Program loans throughout both phases of the program.

Ray is very active in the community and serves on City Council in Hillsdale for Ward 4, current Secretary and Board Member of the Exchange Club (Past President), and Board Member and Treasurer of the Hillsdale County Fair.  He also volunteers at the Hillsdale High School football games taking tickets and as a softball and basketball coach for the Hillsdale Recreation Department.  Ray has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from International Business College.

Mike Jors has been promoted to Vice President – Private Banking & Retail Development Officer. Mike has been vital to growing County National Bank’s Private Banking portfolio in Jackson since joining the team in January of 2019. His years of banking experience have proven valuable to his clients and to CNB, and his dedication to his clients and the community are well-known. Mike’s personal approach allows him to connect his clients and deliver excellent client service.

Christopher Phillips, Vice President – Senior Wealth Management Officer said, “Mike is a key relationship manager for us in the Jackson market. He understands the needs of his clients and works hard to help them achieve their goals.”

Mike is involved in his community and participates in a number of clubs and organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Junior Achievement, The Dahlem Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Jackson Estate Planning Council, and the Art, Beer, & Wine Festival. In addition to his Private Banking duties, Mike will be instrumental in the management and development of the new CNB branch on Spring Arbor Road that will open later this year.

Kelly Lantis has been promoted to Vice President – Commercial Credit Officer. Kelly began her banking career at Manufacturers National Bank of Detroit in 1986, and she joined County National Bank in 1988. Kelly currently manages the CNB Credit Department, which she helped to establish in 1988. Her career at CNB also includes consumer lending, call report preparation, and allowance analysis. Craig Connor, Chairman of the Board, said, “Kelly has been an integral key to CNB’s credit quality and culture for many years. The Bank, our customers, and our shareholders have benefitted greatly from Kelly’s long-held dedication to her work”.

Kelly is on the Board of the Hillsdale County Community Foundation, Treasurer of the Hillsdale Woman’s Club, Financial Advisor of Chi Omega Sorority, Treasurer of Woman’s Life Insurance, and Treasurer for Hillsdale Township. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Hillsdale College.  

Julie Miller has been promoted to Vice President – Private Banking Officer. Julie has been an instrumental member of County National Bank’s Lenawee team since June of 2017. She has been successful in developing and implementing the Private Banking product, and is a willing team member who consistently goes the extra mile for her co-workers and clients. Julie’s knowledge and experience in the banking industry has served her clients and CNB very well.

CNB Board Member Joe Williams said, “Julie Miller is very special because she cares about people, and she cares about her community. Her ability to put clients first in all that she does makes her stand out. Julie’s personal values match up well with the values of County National Bank, which makes it a great win-win for the Lenawee community." Julie is very active in the Lenawee community. Her service activities include serving as a board member for The HOPE Community Center, as assistant treasurer for Kappa Kappa Epsilon, as Promedica Pro-Am committee member, part of the Lenawee Christian Mentorship program, and as a member of Zonta of Lenawee.

Melissa Stroede has been promoted to Vice President – Treasury Management Officer. Melissa began her career as a part-time teller with County National Bank in 2002. She was promoted to Branch Manager in 2012 and was instrumental in the development of CNB’s Treasury Management Department in 2015. The department has grown significantly and represents a notable contribution to CNB’s income statement. Melissa holds an Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Baker College and will graduate from the Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking in 2022. 

Melissa is active in the community and serves on the Henry Ford Allegiance Health Finance Committee and the Endowment Board for the Cascades Humane Society, and is a Director of the Shop Rat Foundation. She volunteers her time for Junior Achievement, March of Dimes, Hanover-Horton Schools, Adopt-a-Highway, and the Art, Beer, and Wine Festival at the Ella Sharp Museum. Joe Dunigan, CNB Director, said, “Her dedication to both the bank and our customer base is wonderful and she has strongly contributed to our success in the Jackson market. This is a well-deserved promotion.”

Neil Wagler has been promoted to Vice President – Commercial Loan Officer. Neil began his career at County National Bank in 2010 as a Credit Analyst, and he became a commercial lender in 2016. He is responsible for the largest loan portfolio at CNB and continues to develop significant new business relationships. Steve Maddalena, CNB Director, said, “I have been impressed with Neil’s analytical and business development skills for many years. He has done a great job for CNB.”

Neil represents County National Bank well within the community by attending numerous functions and is involved with Junior Achievement and highway cleanup projects. Neil has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Central Michigan University.  

Becky Wiley has been promoted to Vice President – Human Resources Officer. Becky has been in the human resources industry for nearly 33 years, and has spent the last 10 at County National Bank. She has been instrumental in a major increase in the number of staff at CNB, from around 160 to 230, in the last eight years. Becky was key in helping CNB navigate a myriad of COVID-related issues and keeping employees safe, allowing us to continue to provide stellar service to our clients throughout the pandemic. The Human Resources team is responsible for recruitment, payroll, benefits, training, and many other duties.

“I am grateful for Becky’s experience and dedication, as both were critical to CNB getting through the last 24 months in a safe, sound manner,” said John Waldron, President and CEO. “I thank her for her tireless efforts in supporting the team here at CNB.” In her spare time, Becky is part owner/operator of the Gospel Barn and a pianist at Cambria Baptist Church.  

Robert (“Bob”) Wrozek has been promoted to Vice President – Commercial Loan Officer. Bob started his career with County National Bank in 2004 as a Management Trainee. His 17-year banking career includes branch management, business development, and commercial lending. Bob was the first manager at CNB’s Horton Road branch and he has been a great ambassador for County National Bank.

He is very active in the community with the Southwest Little League, the Exchange Club of Jackson, the Dahlem Center, and Junior Achievement. He is the varsity softball coach at Lumen Christi High School and also coaches the Michigan Brewnettes youth softball team. John Waldron, President & CEO, said, “Bob is a great community banker. He is dedicated to his family, CNB, and the local community. CNB is fortunate to have him.” He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Adrian College.

County National Bank is a community bank proudly serving South Central Michigan since 1934, and we can proudly say that we are still deeply committed to and rooted in our local communities. CNB provides personal and business banking products and services and wealth management services to communities located throughout South Central Michigan. CNB operates 13 full service offices, two loan production offices, and 19 ATMs in Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, and Calhoun counties.