Where Are They Now?
Michael Downing
Then...Mike graduated from Fort Hays State University with a BS in Finance in 1985 and began working for the Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) in June of that year. He worked in the Topeka Field Office until September 1989, when he moved back to Ellis to be Vice President of the Ellis State Bank.
Now...In January of 2005, Mike was promoted to President of the Ellis State Bank. He has been instrumental in promoting growth and economic development in the Ellis community. Mike has served as the General Contractor for the Ellis Industrial Corp., which used local funding to build over 50,000 square feet of commercial building space. This expansion created over 100 jobs for the city of Ellis. In an effort to provide some much-needed housing in the community, Mike helped to develop a low-income housing project and is currently developing a sub-division with approximately 200 single family housing lots. Each of these projects will help to keep Ellis a growing and vital community.
When asked about his job with the OSBC, Mike remarked, "Working for the banking department was a great experience. It offered me a chance to travel, meet bankers across the state and gave me the exposure to many different views of bank operations. During the 1980s, when many banks were closed, bankers realized that they must keep investing and be creative to help their communities. In many instances, bankers are the catalyst for a community to grow. The connections I made while working at the OSBC have been a tremendous help to me in my career. Any time I need help with problems, the OSBC can usually help me to resolve the issues."
