Struthers to lead Commercial Banking at First National Bank

DeKALB – Timothy A. Struthers has expanded his role with First National Bank and will lead the company’s commercial banking efforts in Illinois, Kansas, Texas, South Dakota and western Nebraska.

Struthers will continue to be based in DeKalb and serve on the Board of Directors of First National Bank. With this change, Stan Free, vice president, Commercial Banking, has been promoted and will assume the role of Illinois market president.

Struthers has been with the banking organization for 36 years, serving as president of the Illinois-based bank since 1998. He got his start in the mailroom in 1980 and has held a variety of jobs in retail and commercial banking. He has been actively involved with a number of community organizations over the years and today serves on the boards of First National Technology Solutions, Northern Illinois University and the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District.

Free joined the organization in 1993 as vice president and commercial loan officer in DeKalb. He went on to be president of The Bank of Yorkville (now part of First National Bank) and, after various charter consolidations, became chief credit officer. Most recently, he has been senior manager, Commercial Banking, for the Illinois market.

Free serves on the Board of Directors and Investment Committee of the Waubonsee Community College Foundation; the Finance Committee of Village Bible Church; and as chairman of the Finance Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry.

Struthers and Free have worked closely together for many years and together have 60 years of service to the company, their customers and their communities.

First National Bank, now in its sixth generation of family ownership, is part of one of the largest family-owned holding companies in the United States.

Founded in 1857, First National Bank is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National of Nebraska has grown into the largest privately owned banking company in the United States. First National and its affiliates have more than $21 billion in managed assets and 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.