February 16, 2023 – Robb Blume, President & CEO of Community First Bank of Indiana, is pleased to announce the following promotions:
Taylor Claypool, Deposit Operations Supervisor, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. She has 8 years of experience in the financial services industry.
CJ Clingler has been promoted to Bank Officer, Deputy Compliance Officer. Previously, she held the position of Compliance Specialist. She has 5 years of experience in the financial services industry and graduated from Ball State University. CJ is a dedicated CASA volunteer and a member of the 41st cohort of Leadership Kokomo.
Sally Duke, Bank Travel Officer, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. She has 37 years of experience in the financial services industry and 26 years of experience leading bank travel. Sally currently serves on the board of directors for the Kokomo Park Band, is a member of the Eastern High School Choral Boosters and is the choir director of her local church.
Monica Gremelspacher, Chief Financial Officer, has been promoted to Senior Vice President. She has 24 years of experience in the accounting industry and received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from Indiana University Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business. Monica currently serves as the secretary of Acacia Academy’s board of directors.
Autumn Grist has been promoted to Bank Officer, Loan Operations Supervisor. Previously, she held the position of Loan Operations Specialist. Autumn’s career began with a background in retail management, and she now has been in the financial services industry since 2019. She coached Lewis Cass Youth League baseball and softball for the past 5 years and volunteers for Kokomo’s We Care Telethon annual fundraiser.
Tracy Herr has been promoted to Vice President, Controller. Previously, she held the position of Assistant Vice President, Assistant Controller. She has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and earned an Associate Degree in Accounting from Ivy Tech Community College. Tracy currently serves as the treasurer for the Greentown Volunteer Fire Company.
Steve Hickey, Credit Manager for Commercial Loans, has been promoted to Senior Vice President. He has 36 years of experience in the financial services industry and graduated from Indiana University Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business. For many years, Steve has served as a team captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event in Howard County. He also volunteers for the Salvation Army and the Greater Kokomo Downtown Association. Â
Rick Powell, Project Manager, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. He has 18 years of experience in the financial services industry and graduated from Ball State University. Rick serves as a trustee of the Tipton Community Theatre and is the former board president of the Tipton Community School Corporation.
Sarah Pitzer, Training Coordinator, has been promoted to Bank Officer. She has 13 years of experience in the financial services industry and has graduated with degrees from Indiana University and Indiana Wesleyan University. Sarah serves as the treasurer for the Boy Scouts of America Troop 528 and 628, and she also volunteers with the Distinguished Young Women scholarship program, the United State of Women, the Kokomo Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business Council, and the Kokomo CEO program.
Lainey Schroer, Marketing/Communication Manager, has been promoted to Vice President. She has 9 years of experience in the marketing industry, with 3 years of experience in the financial services industry. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business in 2014 and completed the American Banker’s Association Bank Marketing School in 2022. Lainey recently served as the secretary for the Howard County Historical Society’s board of trustees and is a 2021 graduate of Leadership Kokomo.
Tyler Smith has been promoted to Bank Officer, Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager. Previously, he held the position of Senior Credit Analyst. He has 6 years of experience in the financial services industry and is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. Tyler serves as the treasurer for Family Service Association of Howard County and is a member of the Kokomo Y’s Men.
Casey Zeck has been promoted to Bank Officer, Human Resources Generalist. Previously, she held the position of Human Resources Assistant. She has 11 years of experience in the financial services industry and serves as a student mentor for Bridges Outreach.
About the bank: Community First Bank (CFB) was chartered in 2003 in Kokomo, Indiana and is committed to keeping outstanding customer service, local decision-making, and relationship-building at its core. The locally owned and operated bank currently has branches in Indianapolis, Kokomo, Westfield, and Noblesville. CFB has been named as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana for 8 consecutive years by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Additional information can be found at www.CFBIndiana.com. MEMBER FDIC, Equal Housing Lender
