6/19/2009
Keith Geis, President and COO of Platte Valley Bank-Wheatland, WY, was appointed to serve a three year term on the American Bankers Association ( ABA ), Agricultural and Rural Banking Committee. This is a committee of fourteen agricultural and rural bankers from around the country, who volunteer their time to provide guidance and recommendations to the center staff of ABA. Committee members are nominated by the state bankers associations and represent regions of the country. The ABA Chairman appoints all committee members, and they meet three times per year.
The kinds of agricultural and rural banking areas they get involved with are: Advocacy; Monitor the Farm Credit System; Industry Relations; Public Relations; Education; and Information. There has only been one other Banker in Wyoming that has served on this committee. “It has been very informative and provided some insights into the banking industry, which one does not get on a day to day basis,” says Geis.
Geis is also serving a three year term on the Wyoming Bankers Association Board of directors.
6/19/2009
Hod Kosman, Chairman, CEO & President of Platte Valley Financial Service Companies, Inc., also referred to as Platte Valley Companies, along with its Board of Directors, elected and are pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Guth as Platte Valley Companies Corporate President of its Platte Valley Wyoming Banks. This appointment is in addition to his duties as Community President / COO of Platte Valley Bank-Torrington, WY.
Platte Valley Companies Wyoming banks, in addition to Torrington, include Wheatland, Casper and Tri-County Bank in Cheyenne, WY.
6/18/2009
Hod Kosman, Chairman, CEO & President of Platte Valley Financial Service Companies, Inc., also referred to as Platte Valley Companies, along with its subsidiary Community Presidents, Joe Guth, Platte Valley Bank-Torrington, Keith Geis, Platte Valley Bank- Wheatland, and Ron Wright, Platte Valley Bank, Casper, WY and their Board of Directors, are pleased to announce the appointment of Jim D. Mathis from Wheatland, WY as a new Platte Valley Bank-WY Board member. Mathis is owner and operator of the Gittaway Ranch in Wheatland since 2003, and is responsible for the operation of a 350 cow/calf operation. Previously, he was CEO of International Education Corporate (IEC) for approximately two years and currently serves on their Board. Mathis also served as Vice President of three aviation schools located in Colorado, Texas and California for six months. The previous 23 years were spent with the Wyoming Technical Institute (WTI) in Laramie, WY in various capacities, and the most recent as President/CEO for four years.
Community involvements include: Ex-officio member for WTI Foundation; Advisory Committee for Career College Association; was University of Wyoming Credit Union Board Member from 1987-1993.
9/1/2008
During the past year, we’ve found more than 200 men and women who have done magnificent work for conservation. There were seven Heroes of Conservation finalists. Hod Kosman was tapped as the winner at the banquet held in New York City at the American Museum of Natural History. As the winner… Hod received a new Toyota Tundra Pickup from Toyota. Plus, all seven honorees received $5,000.00, to use towards projects they are working on relating to conservation.
When Hod Kosman’s friend, Clive Ostenberg died in 1989, bequeathing a large sum of money to the Nature Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited, Hod wanted to make sure that money enhanced the land Ostenberg hunted. He helped form Platte River Basin Environments and saved a 600-acre wetland. Since then, the group has protected and restored nearly 40,000 acres of lands in western Nebraska. You can go to their web site… www.nebwild.org.
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“Coming from western Nebraska, it’s easy to take things like waterfowl and big game for granted,” say Kosman. “I was always in organizations like Ducks Unlimited or Pheasants Forever, but I was never actively in the job of conservation. When Clive left that money, we could have just let them use it as they wanted, but we wanted that money here for Clive. We already had contacts at Ducks Unlimited, and at the Nature Conservancy, where I was a charter member of Nebraska’s chapter. They would happily let us keep the money local, they said, as long as we found projects that fit within their scopes. So we had to organize, use good science, and work with landowners to do biological assessments. We surveyed the region to identify lands that were significant. From there, we began working with state and federal agencies, scientists, the type of people it takes to convince the landowners and donors that we had a worthy cause. That part was a concerted effort; the rest of it has really just been a calling.”
Kosman continued, “Since that first project, we’ve assessed and surveyed more acres than we’ll ever be able to buy, or lease, or get easements on. We’re pretty well planned out. Now it’s a matter of getting it done. In 2001, we were able to get some bighorn sheep habitat, and we have around 250 in our area. Our elk have been reestablished to the point that we have an active hunting season, and we just had a moose wander in. This land is an important waterfowl migration area, too. It’s not just about savings this land--our motto is ‘What we do is forever, and forever is a long time.’ Thousands and thousands of acres and millions of dollars later, we know it takes the efforts of individuals to save these resources.”
Congratulations Hod! We are all so proud of you.
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