The Jeffrey and Diana Owen Scholarship Fund awards one scholarship each year to cover tuition for a student to attend the first year of the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking. The scholarship is open to first-year participants for Stonier, those applying to Year 1 or Accelerated.
Congratulations to our 2023 Owen Scholarship Fund Winners
Controller/Vice President
First Keystone Community Bank
Berwick, PA
SVP & Maine Market Leader
Mascoma Bank
Portland, ME
About
Exceptional leadership is the hallmark of this nation’s banking industry. Throughout his 45-year career, Jeff Owen strengthened ABA’s commitment to community banking and assured that banking leaders were fully engaged in the mission of the ABA and the State Bankers Associations. He was ABA’s Chief Operating Officer when he retired in 2017. Jeff and his wife Diana worked with the ABA leadership to establish this scholarship program. It supports the growth and development of emerging community bank leaders at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
“It has been an honor and a privilege for me to serve the banking industry throughout my working career,” Owen said. He noted that his tenure has included working with five different CEOs, 69 ABA chairs and treasurers, 400 state association executives and thousands of bankers.
“It is not an exaggeration to say Jeff has helped make ABA what it is today,” remarked ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols. “It’s hard to think of anyone with a greater dedication or passion for the bankers and staff who make up this association – or who has contributed as much to its success.”
ABA’s 2016-2017 volunteer banker officers — Chairman Dorothy Savarese, Chairman-Elect Ken Burgess, Vice Chairman Jeff Szyperski and Treasurer George Hermann — also saluted Owen. “Associations can only succeed when the members who belong to them step up, engage and lead effectively, and Jeff encouraged that at every turn,” they said. “He has encouraged bankers’ professional development and mentored countless banker-leaders, urging them to take on more demanding roles and ensuring that ABA remained true to its roots as an association of bankers.