Bobby Wrozek and Angie Tesman Promoted at Southern Michigan Bank & Trust
John Waldron, President and CEO of Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, has announced the promotions of Robert (Bobby) Wrozek to Jackson Market President and Angie Tesman to 1st VP, Head of Human Resources.
Wrozek joined Southern in April 2024 as VP, Commercial Loan Officer. He brought 20 years of banking experience, including branch management, new business development, and commercial lending. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Adrian College.
A lifelong resident of Jackson, Wrozek resides with his wife, Brenna, and their four children. He is actively involved in the community, serving with Jackson Southwest Little League, Exchange Club of Jackson, and The Dahlem Conservancy Endowment Board. He is also a board member and treasurer of the Michigan Brewnettes Youth Softball Club and serves as Varsity Softball Coach at Lumen Christi High School.
Tesman joined the bank in January 2024 as Human Resources Manager. Before joining Southern, she held leadership roles in finance, business operations, and human resources (HR) within the education sector. Tesman has over ten years of HR experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in University Studies from Western Michigan University and a Master of Science in Leadership from Trine University. She is a certified HR Project Manager, SHRM-certified practitioner, and certified payroll specialist. Additionally, she has prior banking experience, having worked as an Assistant Branch Manager at Flagstar Bank in Sturgis.
Tesman and her husband, Casey, reside in the Centreville area with their four children. She enjoys spending time with her family and actively volunteers at her children’s schools as a member of the Parent Advisory Committee. She also serves as a volunteer coach for Centreville’s Rocket Cheer program and Little League Softball.
“We are thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotions of Bobby Wrozek to Jackson Market President and Angie Tesman to 1st VP, Head of Human Resources,” said President and CEO John Waldron. “In a short time, both Bobby and Angie have demonstrated outstanding leadership and expertise in their respective fields. Their contributions have been instrumental to our continued success, and we are confident they will thrive in their new roles.”
Jennifer Crist and Felicia Landis Promoted at Southern Michigan Bank & Trust
Lori Neill, Vice President, Retail Branch Administrator of Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, has announced the promotions of Jennifer Crist to Vice President, Branch Manager; and Felicia Landis to Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager.
Jennifer Crist joined the bank in 2017 as a Regional Branch Manager and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Regional Branch Manager in 2018, serving Hillsdale and the surrounding area.
During her tenure, she has strengthened relationships within the market, led quarterly business development meetings, and earned the respect of her peers. Prior to joining Southern, Crist gained extensive banking experience as a Personal Banker, Lead Customer Service Representative, and Customer Service Manager at Fifth Third Bank in Hillsdale and First Federal Bank in Hudson.
Crist lives in Pioneer, Ohio, with her husband, Christopher. They have four children. In her spare time, she actively participates in her faith community, is a member of the Hillsdale Exchange Club, and serves on the Board of Directors for Domestic Harmony.
Felicia Landis joined Southern in 2019, bringing with her ten years of experience in the financial services industry. Since joining the bank, she has successfully managed three branches with exceptional leadership and dedication, serving Coldwater and the surrounding area. Landis is passionate about staff development and provides strong, effective support to both her team and customers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminology from Indiana State University. Before joining Southern, she served as Branch Manager at Huntington National Bank in Three Rivers.
Jackson Community Ambulance Granted Re-Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services
Jackson Community Ambulance (JCA) received re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) for its compliance with national standards of excellence. JCA is one of 180 ambulance services in the country to successfully complete the voluntary review process which included completion of a comprehensive application and on-site review by national experts in emergency medical services (EMS).
The Commission is a non-profit organization which was established to promote quality patient care in America’s medical transportation system. This is accomplished by establishing national standards which not only address the delivery of patient care, but also the ambulance service’s total operation and its relationships with other agencies, the general public, and the medical community. The Commission’s standards frequently exceed state or local licensing requirements.
CAAS reported “no deficiencies cited” and praised Jackson Community Ambulance as “a phenomenal EMS provider” during their recent three-day on-site inspection, which occurs every three years. The inspectors were also especially pleased with our training system for new EMT’s and Paramedics.
JCA CEO Ron Slagell said, “Achieving CAAS re-accreditation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care and out-of-hospital care. This recognition reflects the dedication and professionalism of our entire team, who work tirelessly to ensure the highest standards in EMS. We take great pride in being among the nation’s elite ambulance services, and we will continue striving to provide the best possible care to our community.”
Established in 1990, CAAS is an independent, non-profit corporation with a nine-member Board of Directors The Board sets policy for the Commission’s operations as well as ongoing monitoring/revision of the Commission’s standards. The Board includes representatives from the American College of Emergency Physicians, the National Association of EMS Physicians, the National Association of State EMS Officials, the National EMS Management Association, the National Association of EMTs, the American Ambulance Association, and it includes a liaison official with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Consumers Energy Unveils Wildfire Safety Website to Protect Michigan Communities
With the start of Michigan wildfire season in March, Consumers Energy is taking proactive steps to protect at-risk communities by launching a Wildfire Safety website.
This new website highlights key tactics from the wildfire risk mitigation plan, launched in 2024 and the first of its kind in the Midwest. The goal of the wildfire risk mitigation plan is to provide more reliable service to our neighbors while strengthening and protecting the grid against destructive wildfires. Providing an easily accessible resource, the website includes information on wildfire risks, Consumers Energy’s mitigation efforts and emergency preparedness measures.
“Our priority is to protect Michigan communities by strengthening our electric grid and minimizing wildfire risks,” said Greg Salisbury, vice president of electric distribution engineering for Consumers Energy. “This new website gives our neighbors the tools they need to stay informed and prepared while highlighting the extensive steps we’re taking before, during and following any wildfire in our service territory.”
Michigan experiences an average of 10,000 to 12,000 wildfires each year, most of which are small. However, even small fires can destroy homes and property, with an estimated 100 homes lost or damaged annually. Historically, Michigan has faced significant wildfire challenges with three of the deadliest fires in the nation. In the past 12 years alone, Michigan’s Lower Peninsula has experienced 2,537 wildfires, burning more than 22,861 acres.
With changing weather patterns increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires, Consumers Energy is building onto the tactics outlined in the wildfire mitigation plan. These additions will enhance situational awareness, operational procedures, system strengthening and vegetation management to reduce wildfire ignition risks. Key efforts include:
- Prioritized line clearing in high-risk areas to limit vegetation contact with power lines.
- Enhanced monitoring utilizing weather data and Red Flag Warnings.
- Wildfire risk assessments to adjust field operations and recloser settings.
“Consumers Energy is committed to balancing reliable energy service with the safety of our neighbors and the environment,” said Sara Stewart, Senior Manager of Forestry at Consumers Energy. “Our enhanced vegetation management efforts—like increased line clearing cycles—are a critical part of reducing wildfire risk and keeping communities safe.”
By investing in wildfire mitigation strategies and providing resources for our neighbors, Consumers Energy aims to strengthen Michigan’s electric grid. These investments will also build on last year’s Reliability Roadmap efforts which made great progress by reducing the average time customers went without power by over 20 minutes.
TRUE Community Credit Union Announces Winners of 2024 Employee Awards
TRUE Community Credit Union is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Employee Awards. These awards recognize outstanding contributions made by our team members the previous year that best represent the credit union values. Team members were nominated by their peers and nominees were voted on by the entire credit union staff.
“These awards shine a light on employees who use their strengths consistently to embody our values and bring them to life in service of our members, our communities, and for their fellow teammates,” said Heather Harback, TRUECCU Chief People Officer. “We’re all better having the opportunity to work alongside our award winners, and our annual awards are a great opportunity for the entire organization to nominate and recognize the stellar work being done by their colleagues.”
Awards were presented in three distinguished categories during TRUE’s Family Reunion, a day of employee education and celebration, on Monday, February 17: The Value Champion Awards, The Pillar Awards, and the Employee of the Year Award. The winners of each category are the following:
The 2024 Values Champion Awards:
- Perry Nichols and Charlye Schultz – Joy: Making joy common in uncommon places.
- Takara Schupbach – Stewardship: Exceptional stewardship of all interests entrusted to the credit unions care.
- Dan Stanton – People: Focuses on people over profit, process and product.
- Kendall Long and Faith Minix – Empower: An empowered organization founded in experience-focused solutions.
- Josiah Miles – Gratitude: Unwavering faith in people and the virtues of gratitude and humility.
- Carrie Walters – Feedback: Two-Way feedback graciously welcomed and respectfully given.
- Josh Pero, Gaje Maher, and Dan Stanton – Curiosity: Relentless curiosity.
- Jo Koerkel – Opportunity: A deep-seated appetite to realize opportunity through innovation.
The 2024 Pillar Award Nominees:
- Josh Pero and Josiah Miles – Member-Centered: This individual maintains a clear and consistent focus on member service/ experience throughout their work.
- Josiah Miles and Heathor Balazy – Community-Minded: This individual is fully committed to volunteering their time and talents in the community.
- Shannon Daidone – TRUE-Team Focused: Contributing to a great place to work is this individual’s jam.
The 2024 Employee of the Year:
- Chris Chaney – Employee of the Year: Someone who demonstrates the very best of TRUECCU and our culture consistently.
These team members reflect the values the credit union upholds and their commitment to members and community. TRUE Community Credit Union is proud to celebrate their accomplishments and looks forward to another year of excellence.
Chelsea State Bank Announces 2025 Woman of CSB Award
Chelsea State Bank presented the fourth annual Woman of CSB Award to Sue Jacobs, for her longstanding dedication to Chelsea State Bank and for her exemplary philanthropic efforts in the Chelsea Community.
“It is with great excitement that we are recognizing Sue Jacobs as the recipient of the 2025 Woman of CSB Award,” said Joanne Rau, President and CEO, Chelsea State Bank. “This award was designed to recognize a remarkable female leader within our communities, and Sue embodies this mission perfectly. She is a passionate advocate for helping those in need and openly welcomes community support for her initiatives. Everything she does, she does with great purpose and dedication – traits that define a true leader.”
Sue, a Certified Public Accountant who owns a firm at 102 E. Middle Street in downtown Chelsea, where she’s been for the past 20 years, works with individuals, personally-owned corporations and small nonprofits, assisting them with their financial needs.
Sue’s community support includes time as a former: Rotarian, Board Member of the Chelsea Athletic Booster, Chelsea Center for the Arts, and founding member of 100 Women Who Care – Chelsea Area, to name a few. On February 9, 2023, Sue was named the Chelsea Citizen of the Year.
As the Chelsea Community Fair Treasurer, she continues to advocate for the kids to receive paper checks, to teach financial literacy – so kids learn how to complete basic bank transactions.
Sue is a great friend of the Bank. Often, she is one of the first to recommend Chelsea State Bank to small businesses and community members looking to change financial institutions. She advocates for business who give back to the community.
“Sue is such an integral part of this community, from crocheting pot holders and dishcloths for HouseN2Home, to creating a community needs social media page during the pandemic. Sue is passionate about teaching financial literacy to today’s youth. She is constantly coming up with new ideas to help others and spread kindness.”
In honor of Sue Jacobs for receiving the 2025 Woman of CSB Award, Chelsea State Bank will donate $1,000 to It Only Takes 5, a local non-profit she and her husband Steve founded, whose mission is to collect and provide donations for those in need or distressed.
