Lee H. Garlach
Chairman of the Board, President of First State Bancorporation, Inc.
Lee is the Chairman and CEO of Fortress Bank and principal shareholder, key organizer and President of the Bank’s parent company, First State Bancorporation, Inc. He is responsible for the strategic planning for the Bank and for the development of the Bank’s activities in its northern markets. Lee is an entrepreneur with considerable experience in the merger, acquisition and operations of small businesses. His experience in banking includes working as a bank and bank holding company examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and as an accountant and loan review specialist for a Denver CPA firm. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Finance degree from the University of Wyoming. Lee received his master’s degree from the University of Denver.
Andrew J. Bastert
Regional President, Fortress Bank
Andy is Fortress Bank’s Western Illinois Regional President. Andy’s lending career began over 30 years ago as a loan officer for Mississippi Valley Production Credit Association. After five years with the Farm Credit System, he joined the Carthage branch of First Midwest Bank which would soon become part of First State Bank and later served as senior vice president overseeing the lending function. Andy obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Illinois University and is a graduate of the Madison Graduate School of Banking. Andy is a long time trustee of the Carthage Public Library District and also serves on the boards of the Hancock County Health Department, Western Illinois Community Development Corporation, and Carthage School Foundation and the Hancock County Development Corporation.
Dean A. Heinzmann
President, Fortress Bank
Dean is the President of Fortress Bank, responsible for the leadership of the Bank and for the development of the Bank’s activities in Central Illinois, with a focus on the Peoria market. Additionally, Heinzmann is Executive Vice President and Director of First State Bancorporation, Inc., which is the holding company for Fortress Bank. He served as an organizer of the holding company in connection with its acquisition of the Bank in 2008. Prior to 2008, Dean served as Senior Vice President and Division Manager for LaSalle Bank National Association (acquired by Bank of America) and Senior Vice President of Bank One Illinois, N.A. (currently JP Morgan Chase). A graduate of the University of Illinois (B.S. Finance) and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville (MBA), Dean’s community activities include Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois, Lutheran Hillside Village, FC Peoria and Heart of Illinois United Way.
Jay Morrison
Corn & Soybean Farmer
Jay worked in banking for 29 years. He started his career in 1984 as a loan officer at State Bank of LaHarpe. In 1994 he went to State Bank of Colusa as Vice President and Loan Officer. He later became Executive Vice President and then President. In 2008 State Bank of Colusa merged with First State Bank and Jay continued working in Colusa and Carthage until 2013. At that time, he decided to go from farming part time to full time. Jay graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Ag Business. He served on the board of directors of State Bank of Colusa, First State Bank of Western Illinois and LaMoine Bancorp, Inc. He presently serves on the board of directors of Western Illinois Electrical Cooperative and McDonough Telephone Cooperative. Jay is also a volunteer fireman for the Colusa Fire Department.