HONEST

Raised as a farm boy and trained to be an educator, Joe Caffee began his banking career in 2001. One of his first responsibilities was to repossess a vintage Volkswagen Beetle in another state. He took his grandmother along to help. Joe had been working as a credit analyst at a community bank for three months when the bank president stopped by his cubicle, tossed him a key to an office and said, “On Monday you’re a lender – don’t screw it up.” Following that inspiring training, he spent 13 years advancing from consumer lender to chief lender with a board of directors seat. He came to Michiana in 2014 as President and CEO of First State Bank and hasn’t looked back. Joe is passionate about community banking and loves to make a positive difference in the communities where First State Bank does business.

Originally from the “thumb” of Michigan, Eric earned his degree in Computer Information Systems from Saginaw Valley State University. He began his banking career in Michigan in 2004 and found his way south to Indiana to join FSB in 2012. Eric is now Senior Vice President and Director of IT. He and his family have found Middlebury to be a great place to live and be active.
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Sheila began her banking career in 1985 but found her passion in 1999 when she became a Business Banker. She adds value to her small business owner clients by being a trusted advisor. She knows the time and energy they put into their business. She works hard to help them realize their goals and vision for their family and their business succession. First State Bank empowers Sheila to do what she does best: help clients succeed. She is a Director for the Business Development Corporation, Past President and member of the Elkhart Noon Exchange Club and Past President of Winding Waters Preschool Daycare.

More than 100 years ago, Sam’s great-grandfather helped establish First State Bank. Sam joined the bank in 1992 following time spent with Summit Bank in Fort Wayne and Bank One in Elkhart. A 1988 graduate of Indiana University and 1997 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin, Sam is the Chief Operating Officer at First State Bank. He joined the Crystal Valley Financial Corporation board in 1997.
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Duane, or Dewey as most of Elkhart County calls him, has banking and lending in his blood. He came to First State Bank from NBD in Traverse City, Michigan in 1998. Since then, he has helped business owners succeed by making great loans and giving great counsel. Dewey has held the treasurer position for both Goshen Noon Kiwanis and Goshen Building Trades and is the current Board Treasurer for the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. He and his family were heavily involved in the Elkhart County 4-H Saddle Club when his daughter was a member. His spare time now is spent following his daughter’s rodeo career as she travels the United States. After more than 20 years at FSB, Dewey has accepted the role of Senior Vice President/Lender and is leading the commercial lending team in the Goshen region.

After Jim graduated from Goshen College, he held positions at local organizations in sales and finance. Almost 6 years ago, he received a call from Joe Caffee, CEO of First State Bank to discuss a possible job opportunity. It’s been a good fit for him as he can use his relationship-building skills to connect more closely with his clients. Since that time, he has been at First State Bank and is now Senior Vice President/Lender leading the commercial lending team in the Middlebury region. Jim is the current Board Chair for the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce as well as a Board Member for Menno-Hof cultural education center and a member of Goshen Rotary Club. Jim and his family can often be found at local parks looking for birds, which has become a family hobby.

After graduating with a Masters in Accounting from Manchester University, Jared spent his time as a public accountant. In 2004, his father-in-law encouraged him to pursue First State Bank’s newly-created Assistant Controller position. Hesitant to pursue a new career but eager to please his father-in-law, Jared decided to interview. Instantly intrigued by the family atmosphere and staff, he knew that First State Bank was the kind of organization he wanted to work for. He accepted the Assistant Controller position in January of 2005 and hasn’t looked back since. He was promoted to Controller in 2006 before taking the role of Senior Vice President and CFO in January 2020.

Born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Dana has lived in various locations around the country. Shortly after starting his banking career in South Bend in 1996 as a credit analyst, Dana was promoted to officer and lender. He joined First State Bank in 2010 and now leads the team in St. Joseph County. Dana’s slogan is “helping my clients to grow and prosper.” Dana’s passion is to add value to companies as well as to their owners. Dana maintains a portfolio of customers in many different industries.

Lance chose to work at FSB because he wanted to work at an organization that is deeply rooted in the community he grew up in.  Lance works primarily from the Middlebury location, has a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University, Indianapolis, and completed his studies in 2021 at the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. He is a member of the Indiana Bankers Association Leadership Division and has been a part of the First State Bank team for over 12 years.

Patty began her banking career right out of high school as a teller for Salem Bank during her breaks while attending college. She worked as a teller, customer service representative, loan administrator and ultimately landed at First State Bank in 1990. She graduated from Indiana University – Fort Wayne (IPFW) with a B.S. in Business with a concentration in Finance & Economics in 1992. She then became the first full-time trust officer at FSB. Patty is a 1994 graduate of the Cannon Financial Institute. She currently serves on the Oaklawn Foundation Board and the Advisory Board for Waterford Crossing and is a past member of the Scholarship Committee for the Community Foundation of Elkhart County.