Association of Military Banks of America

CEO Corner – GSB Scholarship

11 June 2021

Among the many passions AMBA banks share is the effective delivery of banking services to our military and veteran communities.  Over our many years as a trade association supporting banks serving these communities, we’ve learned that one of the best ways to promote the importance of banks in the financial lives of every military and veteran family is through financial education.  And we don’t just mean the financial education of bank customers; we believe that education must begin with bankers.

Andy Trovillion, a former Chairman of AMBA’s Board of Directors, was a passionate proponent of the education of bankers as a way to improve the financial lives of all Americans.  Before his untimely death, he pursued that passion through both his AMBA service and his role as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin’s Graduate School of Banking (GSB).  As a tangible expression of their deep respect for and appreciation of Andy’s lifetime work, his fellow AMBA Directors funded a scholarship at GSB in his name.  The Raleigh A. “Andy” Memorial Scholarship supports provides tuition assistance for deserving veterans or military spouses seeking to advance their banking knowledge and careers.

This week, AMBA is proud to announce the award of its first Trovillion Scholarship to Austin Havlik, Vice President, First Dakota National Bank.  Austin is a former member of the South Dakota National Guard and will be attending GSB in the fall.  On behalf of AMBA’s member banks and Board of Directors, we congratulate Austin and wish him well in his studies and future banking career.

STEVEN J. LEPPER
Major General, USAF (Ret.)
President & Chief Executive Officer