DAVID WILLIAMS

ESCANABA – Upper Peninsula State Bank President and CEO David Williams has been chosen for the 2025 Best of Community Banking Award by the Community Bankers of Michigan.

Williams will be recognized at the CBM Annual Convention and Expo on Sept. 10-12 in Traverse City. Doug Ouellette, Mercantile Bank chief community banking officer, is the other recipient of this award.

The Best of Community Banking Award recognizes the contributions and success of Michigan community bankers. Special recognition is given to community bankers who have made significant contributions to their communities and the community banking industry, according to a CBM news release.

Williams’ career started at a small community bank in Houghton, followed by many years in larger banks in lower Michigan and Ohio. But he had a long-established personal goal of returning to the Upper Peninsula and running and growing a community bank. For the past 25 years he has guided Upper Peninsula State Bank’s brand of banking from one market to now several, all with a focus on customer and community service.

Over his career, he has been committed to community service organizations and has served both state and national trade banking associations. He is a Michigan Federal delegate for the Independent Community Bankers of America and a longstanding member of FIS’s Strategic Planning Advisory Council.

“I am honored and humbled by this recognition, but in reality, it should be considered a team win,” Williams said. “Every day, this banking team brings their best as we chart our path forward, bringing forth cutting-edge technology delivered with a personal and caring touch.”

“David’s passion for what we do is remarkable,” said Bob Bink, chair of Upper Peninsula State Bank. “As a community bank, we are the center of commerce for our communities, and his leadership has created an amazing banking team whose sole focus is bringing the best in community banking to our markets.”

Established in 1902, Upper Peninsula State Bank has offices in Escanaba, Iron Mountain, Gladstone, Marquette and Houghton. For more information, go online to www.upstatebank.net