Harvard State Bank names new leader

HARVARD – The Harvard State Bank announced Wednesday that Phillip Lehmann was appointed president and CEO of the bank, the eighth such leader in the institution's 148-year history.

He succeeds his father Roger Lehmann, who has served as the bank's president and CEO since 1983.

"Phillip has proven through the years that he manages for the future," Roger Lehmann, 74, said in a statement. "He has assisted us in dedicating our organization to building relationships with our communities and clients and has been an integral part of our bank’s success through the years."

Phil Lehmann said the bank focused on training and building continuity to ensure a successful transition. He also said Harvard State Bank would continue to look for opportunities to grow.

"We want to be a community bank in northern Illinois with a broader footprint," he said Thursday.

Phil Lehmann worked at BMO Harris in northern Illinois and U.S. Bank in southern Illinois before joining Harvard State Bank as vice president of lending at the bank's Hebron location in 2001. He was promoted to senior vice president in 2004, moving to the bank's main office in Harvard where he managed the bank's loan department. In 2013, he was promoted to executive vice president and put in charge of the bank's day-to-day operations while continuing to manage the loan department.

Roger Lehmann will continue to work part time and will continue in his role as chairman of the bank's board, according to a news release. Roger Lehmann joined the bank in 1978 as the executive vice president. During his more than 50 years in banking, he has worked in nearly every aspect of the business, including finance, operations, lending and trust.

"Roger has seen us through the good times and the difficult times – always maintaining the highest of standards to steer the bank in the right direction," board member Donald Ahrens said in a statement. "Roger has stayed on the cutting edge to serve our communities and customers well.”

In addition, Tony Villarreal will step in as vice president, senior lender, taking over management of the loan department. Tom Raine will assist him as the vice president of mortgage lending. Luchika Lamick also was promoted to assistant vice president/assistant cashier, according to the release.

"Roger and I can't do it with out the staff," Phil Lehmann said.

He added that the bank would continue to stand out in the way it serves customers.

"We've got to have that [superior] level of service," he said. "We appreciate our customers and their trust in us – that's a responsibility we take very seriously."

The Harvard State Bank, established in 1866, has six offices, including two in Harvard, two in Oregon and one each in Hebron and Rockford. It had $221.1 million in total assets and $196.6 million in total deposits as of Sept. 30, 2014, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The Harvard State Bank had 2.24 percent of the market in McHenry County, according to the FDIC's most recent deposit market share report.

Phil Lehmann, 44, lives with his wife, Julie; daughters, Alexis and Lindsay; and son, Justin, in Harvard.

__

The Harvard State Bank by the by the numbers

$221.1 million: The bank's total assets
$196.6 million: The bank's total deposits
2.24 percent: The bank's deposit market share in McHenry County
1866: Year The Harvard State Bank was established

Source: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.