Senate committee recommends four nominees to Kansas State Banking Board

The Kansas Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance on Thursday recommended four nominees to the State Banking Board after hearing their qualifications and asking questions about the future of community banking.

Tanya Bridal, who told the committee she has 37 years in banking and has served for 12½ years as president and CEO of Farmer State Bank in Holton, said she values “both the safety and soundness of [the] banking system and the need for regulations that are practical and effective for institutions of all sizes.” Bridal emphasized auditing and compliance as her strengths and said she would bring a small‑bank perspective to the board.

Jared Brown, a former national bank examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and current chairman and CEO of Impact Bank in Wellington, described having examined banks ranging “from as small as $10,000,000 up to trillion dollar institutions” and said that perspective would help balance regulatory and industry concerns. “We want strong, profitable banks that serve as the economic engines for the communities they serve,” he said.

Darren Gregg, who described a nontraditional rise through bank operations to become chairman, president and CEO of Bennington State Bank in Salina, outlined experience across operations, lending and wealth management. He told the committee the bank held about $215,000,000 in assets in 2002 and now has “about $1,250,000,000 in assets today with an additional $600,000,000 in assets under management in our wealth management division.”

Jacinda Zahr, joining remotely, said she has 36 years in banking and currently serves as market president at Farmers Bank in Kansas City, managing a commercial loan portfolio “in excess of 160,000,000.” She described experience with FDIC and state examinations and said that dual rural–urban perspective would inform board deliberations.

Committee members asked nominees how to preserve small banks amid consolidation, how federal regulations and BSA requirements affect state options, and how nominees would address talent and cybersecurity pressures. Nominees largely said some regulations should be reviewed and scaled by bank size while recognizing many rules are set at the federal level.

After testimony and questions the committee took motions and voice votes to recommend each nominee favorably to the full Senate. Senator Arderbright moved for Bridal’s confirmation, and subsequent motions for Jared Brown, Darren Gregg and Jacinda Zahr were also approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The committee chair closed the confirmation hearing and moved on to other business.

What happens next: these recommendations will be transmitted to the full Senate for consideration.