10/15/13 – Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois Welcomes Two New Board Members

The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois today announced it has added two new members to its board. Representatives from TheBANK of Edwardsville and Terminal Railroad Association are joining the Leadership Council in its mission to unite business, industry, government, education and labor for economic growth in Southwestern Illinois.

Established in 1868, TheBANK of Edwardsville is a leading, locally-owned bank in the Metro East and is a longtime member of the Leadership Council. As TheBANK ramps up its support for the Council’s ongoing work, President Tom Holloway will be joined on the Council’s Board of Directors by Rick R. Parks who joined TheBANK of Edwardsville in October 2011 as Senior Vice President/Senior Lender.  He was previously employed by Centrue Bank, Regions Bank f/k/a Union Planters Bank, First Federal Savings Bank and for Edward Jones. Parks began his banking career in 1987 at First Trust and Savings Bank in Kankakee, IL and earned his MBA from St. Louis University. A full service financial institution offering consumer and commercial banking, along with trust and investment services, at 18 locations throughout Madison and St. Clair counties, TheBANK of Edwardsville has a long tradition of providing personal service, offering innovative products and giving back to the communities in which it serves.

Mike McCarthy, President of the Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) of St. Louis is the association’s representative for the Leadership Council. Since 1889, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis has played a vital role in railroad operations, providing an efficient, safe and economical method of interchanging rail traffic in St. Louis, Missouri. McCarthy began his career in 1979 with the Missouri Pacific Railroad in its engineering department and transitioned into transportation management in 1990 before joining TRRA in 2013. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology from Truman State University and a Masters in Business Administration from Rockhurst College. The TRRA is the 3rd largest switching railroad in the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, and after 110 years of service, the 300 employees of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis are still committed to efficiency, safety and value to its customers, owners, and the public.

The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is a member-based, economic development corporation representing Madison and St. Clair counties. The Council works to unite business, industry, government, education and labor for economic growth in Southwestern Illinois. These effective partnerships serve as a driving force behind successful economic development efforts throughout the Metro East region.

For more information, contact:

Julie Hauser, The Hauser Group, (314) 436-9090

Ellen Krohne, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, (618) 692-9745