For more than 18 years now, Thomas Edwards has held a top-flight management role at Horizon Bancorp, holding company for Horizon Bank which has multiple branches in and around Michigan’s Great Southwest. At the end of the year he will officially retire and take life a little easier going forward.
Horizon Bancorp has announced today that Edwards will retire as President and Chief Credit Officer of Horizon Bank and as Executive Vice President of Horizon Bancorp on December 31, 2017. Mr. Edwards has served as the Bank’s President & Chief Credit Officer since December 17, 2002 and as an Executive Vice President of the holding company since May 17, 1999. Mr. Edwards’ primary responsibilities were oversight of commercial credit underwriting, allowance for loan and lease loss reserves, treasury management and wealth and investment management.
Craig Dwight is Chairman & CEO at Horizon. He tells us, “Mr. Edwards has provided leadership, guidance and inspiration throughout his years with Horizon, generously giving of his time and expertise to the company and the community.” Dwight adds, “As President and Chief Credit Officer, he presided over a period of unprecedented growth and successfully guided Horizon through the great recession. We wish to thank Mr. Edwards for his years of service and to wish him the best in his retirement years.”
Effective October 1, 2017, Horizon will appoint Dennis J. Kuhn as Mr. Edwards’ successor. The transition of responsibilities to Mr. Kuhn will occur over the next six months. Mr. Kuhn joined Horizon Bank in May 2010 to establish its first full-service office in Kalamazoo. Since 2010, Mr. Kuhn has successfully led Horizon’s growth efforts in both Michigan and Northeast Indiana.
Mr. Kuhn started his banking career in 1985 with First of America Bank in Lansing, Michigan. Following formal commercial credit training, he moved to the First of America affiliate in La Porte, Indiana, where he worked as a commercial loan officer for Mr. Edwards. Mr. Kuhn rose through the ranks at First of America to become a Vice President and Group Commercial Loan Manager, before departing in 1995 to join Michigan National Bank as their market president for Kalamazoo. In 2000, Mr. Kuhn was appointed President and CEO of Portage Commerce Bank in Portage, Michigan, which is an affiliate of Capitol Bancorp. Ltd. Mr. Kuhn has managed successfully through multiple recessions and has a similar credit philosophy as Mr. Edwards.
As CEO Dwight commented, “Horizon is fortunate to have a person of Mr. Kuhn’s caliber, who is well known to us and has a shared credit philosophy. In addition, Mr. Edwards retirement date at year-end provides for a seamless transition.”
Horizon Bancorp is an independent, commercial bank holding company serving northern and central Indiana, southwest and central Michigan, and central Ohio through its commercial banking subsidiary Horizon Bank. Horizon also offers mortgage-banking services throughout the Midwest. Horizon may be reached online at www.horizonbank.com. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol HBNC.
