Community Bankers group hires in-house counsel for first time

Northwestern Financial Review, Feb 6, 1999

The Community Bankers Association of Illinois has hired Jerry Cavanaugh as its first in-house general counsel. He joined the organization on Feb. 1.

"Our association has grown steadily for several years, and so have the legal demands of the CBAI corporate family," said James T. Ashworth, CBAI president and president of Carlinville National Bank. "By taking this step of adding a full-time attorney to our professional staff, we can better serve the association's needs and those of its members, and enhance our legislative efforts as well."

CBAI's legal counsel for the last 17 years has been Joseph M. Ambrose, a partner in the Bloomington law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson. Ambrose recently accepted a position with Anderson Financial Network of Bloomington. "Joe Ambrose is one of the top banking law attorneys in the nation, and we are indebted to him for his quality representation of community banking's interests. We wish him well," said Bob Wingert, CBAI executive director.

Cavanaugh has been a member of the legal staff of the Illinois Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate for 13 years. He was the agency's Assistant General Counsel, working on matters including legislation, rulemaking, and technical legal assistance. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association's section on commercial banking and bankruptcy law, and of the Chicago Bar Association's financial institutions committee. Additionally, he serves on the regulatory committee of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors.

Cavanaugh has a law degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a bachelor of science degree from Illinois State University in Normal.

PERSONNEL

Rick Huff was named senior vice president of the Bank of Illinois, working out of the Mt. Vernon location. He has been in the financial service industry for 23 years, most recently serving as president and CEO of the First National Bank of Wayne City. Huff has a bachelor of science degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking, Madison, Wis.