Amada Alvidrez of Oklahoma has been elected as the new chair of Friends of Traditional Banking (FOTB). Greg Hayes of Pennsylvania is the new vice chair, and Rita Lowman of Florida is a new director. "I look forward to continuing the powerful momentum of FOTB with this great team," said Alvidrez. “Our impact keeps growing and there are so many great banking leaders involved that help make it happen.”

Chair Amada Alvidrez, Regional Retail Sales Manager at Equity Bank in Guymon, Oklahoma, has been a member of FOTB’s executive committee since 2021. Alvidrez has advocated for community banking by serving on Oklahoma Bankers Association committees and Board of Directors. Alvidrez served as the Chair for the Oklahoma Bankers Association 2022 – 2023. She has served on the Guymon Schools Education Foundation since 2019 and Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s Alumni and Friends Board since 2018.

Alvidrez graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. She attended various Oklahoma Bankers Association schools before attending the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, graduating with honors in 2009. Alvidrez has spent her 30-year banking career in the same building at City Bank and Trust and at Equity Bank after CBT’s merger with Equity Bank in 2018. Her passion for community banking has grown as she has performed various roles including data processing, teller, personal banker, HR director, IT director, market president, and regional retail sales manager. She joyfully utilizes her teaching background to coach her team daily. Alvidrez lives in Guymon, Oklahoma, with her husband and 7-year-old daughter.

Vice Chair Greg Hayes, President and CEO of Kish Bank and its parent company, Kish Bancorp, Inc. of Belleville, Pennsylvania, has been a director on FOTB's executive committee since 2023.

He serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County, as well as its Economic Development Council, which supports regional economic growth and partnerships. Hayes also serves as Chair of the Bankers Advisory Board of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors; a board member of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s (PBA) Political Action Committee and a member of multiple other PBA committees. He is also a member of the Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Hayes is a graduate of Lafayette College with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked at Merck before joining Kish’s retail banking team in 2006. He then served in various roles of increasing responsibility, including branch management, retail and commercial lending, and operations, during which time he graduated with honors from the PA Bankers School of Commercial Lending and the Advanced School of Banking. He and his wife reside in State College, Pennsylvania with their three children.

New Director Rita Lowman, a 45-year banker who has blazed trails for the industry throughout her career, had previously represented Florida on FOTB's Nationwide Banker Board. Her career highlights include serving as President of Pilot Bank, Chief Operating Officer of C1 Bank and managing 23 acquisitions including the NationsBank/Barnett acquisition in 1997 where she was awarded the Crystal Grenade. Rita currently serves on the Board of Directors of Caldwell Trust Company and Encore Bank.

Elected Chair of the 2017/2018 Florida Bankers Association, Rita was the third woman in 130 years to serve in this position. She serves on several other boards including 2020/21 Chair of the ReliaQuest Bowl, Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Florida School of Banking at UF and Southeastern US Cabinet of American Cancer Society.

She has had numerous published articles on banking and been a featured speaker for the US Embassy in Mozambique, Caribbean Association of Bankers and more. Rita’s book From the Farm to the Boardroom: Leadership Lessons was named the #1 Business Book of 2017 by Richter Publishing.

Rita was named Business Woman of the Year by Tampa Bay Business Journal, a Power 100, Guy King Mental Health Champion, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Woman of Influence and most recently Florida Trend named her a 2023 Florida Legend. Her top priority is her family and her faith. Rita and her husband Gary Sr also enjoy HooperWill Farm named after their sons where the family grows Black Angus cattle.