Leadership & Staff
CBA Officers 2009-10
CBA Chairman Ed Sauer, CEO Bank at Broadmoor
D. Edward Sauer, a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking, University of Colorado, has been the President and CEO of The Bank at Broadmoor since 1990. Prior to his advancement to President, Ed served as the Executive Vice President of the Bank. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Bank at Broadmoor and a Shareholder of the Broadmoor Capital Corporation. Ed has been a resident of Colorado Springs since 1953, and he and his wife, Linda, two sons, and three grandsons, enjoy the climate and lifestyle of the Rocky Mountain area. A long-time banker in the Colorado Springs area, Ed has also been involved in many civic and banking organizations. He is the past-President of the Commercial Banks of the Pikes Peak Region, a past-Chairman of the Colorado Bankers Association Events Committee, a past- Chairman of the Pikes Peak Highway Advisory Commission, a past-Chairman of the Board of the American Institute of Banking - Rocky Mountain Chapter, and an Honorary Chairman for Care and Share Taste of the Nations.
Chairman Elect Scot Wetzel, CEO United Western Bank
Scot T. Wetzel serves as chairman, president, and CEO of United Western Bank which is a community banking franchise whose business is primarily located across Colorado’s Front Range and in certain mountain communities. Currently, the Bank operates regional offices in downtown Denver, Cherry Creek, Boulder, Loveland, Longmont, South Denver, The Denver Technology Center, Fort Collins, and a specialized office in Aspen. Additional locations are currently under development. Wetzel brings more than 20 years of banking expertise to United Western Bancorp and the CBA. Before joining United Western Bancorp, he served as president and CEO of Compass Bancshares’ Colorado operations. Wetzel earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He is also a graduate of the Michigan Bankers’ Association Commercial Banking School at Michigan State University, and has received ISS certified director credit from Harvard University’s Business School Corporate Governance program. Wetzel began his banking career as a teller with Huntington Bank while attending college. He grew up in Golden, Colorado, where he attended Golden Senior High School. Wetzel is very involved in the Denver-area community. In addition to his leadership at CBA, he is a member of the Board of Directors, and past member of the executive committees and treasurer of Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation; and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Young President’s Organization. He is past president of the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Other past board and community service roles include Mile High United Way, Colorado Concern, the Children’s Museum of Denver, Up With People, The Denver Center for Performing Arts, Alliance for Choice in Education (ACE) and the Denver Art Museum. Wetzel, his wife Charlotte, and three sons reside in Cherry Creek and are additionally active in their church and local community.
Treasurer Keith Dickelman, Senior Vice President, Bank of the West
Keith Dickelman has 22 years of banking experience starting with First Interstate Bank in Fargo North Dakota as a business banker. Community First Bankshares acquired First Interstate in 1992 and Bank of the West acquired Community First in 2004. He spent three years as a market president for Community First in Fergus Falls Minnesota. Dickelman relocated to Colorado in 1998 serving as market manager for Community First and Bank of the West. His aggregate financial services industry experience totals 30 years. Dickelman has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Moorhead State University in Moorhead Minnesota and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado in 1995.
CBA Staff Leadership
Don Childears, President & CEO
President/CEO of the Colorado Bankers Association, Don Childears has served CBA since 1975, preceded by legislative and campaign work for a Congressman. He’s completed his Juris Doctor from University of Denver College of Law, and BSBA from Colorado State University, where he was student body president. Community activities vary including: First Amendment Council, Referenda C & D Finance Committee, Civil Justice League, Governor’s Y2K TF, Kids Voting, Housing Council, two graduate schools of banking, and political activities and campaigns. Business activities include ABA BankPac, Colorado Competitive Council Steering Committee, BancInsure, a publishing company, a network predating the internet, and a burglar alarm company. He frequently speaks (NBC Nightly News, ABA’s Annual Convention) and teaches government, political influence, and banking. Numerous awards include a Special Tribute by U.S. Senator Allard. He’s from Saguache (rural Colorado town) and is married to Linda, President of the Daniels Fund ($1.1B charitable foundation) and previous President of the Young Americans Bank (youth financial literacy pioneer) in Denver.
Jenifer Waller, Senior Vice President
Since 1999, Jenifer has maintained the position of Senior Vice-President in the Colorado Bankers Association. Jenifer started in community banking in Southern Colorado in 1985 and attended the Western States School of Banking. Prior to her days at CBA, Jenifer spent almost five years as a bank examiner for the Colorado Division of Banking. In order to spend more time with her son, Jenifer took a brief leave of absence from her career life. But when she returned to work, she re-entered her career as a banking consultant. Jenifer is involved with numerous financial literacy organizations; serving as board member of Jumpstart, team member of Bank on Denver, Mi Casa Financial Services Advisory Group, and The Denver Economic Prosperity Task Force. Jenifer enjoys politics and volunteering for campaigns. When she is not working she enjoys spending time with her two sons Joe and Travis reading and playing basketball.
Amanda Rogowski, Director of Marketing
Amanda Rogowski has been with the Colorado Bankers Association as Director of Marketing since the spring of 2000. Among other roles, she is actively involved in the creation of the Colorado Bankers bi-monthly magazine, is in charge of CBA’s many educational offerings, and plans various activities throughout the year including their annual convention and legislative luncheon. She received her Bachelor of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University in 1997. She has lived overseas in Mexico City and Rome, and has worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce at their American Embassies. She has lived in Colorado most of her life and is married to Mark Rogowski, a jet engine mechanic with the Colorado Air National Guard.
Tim Powers, Director of Communications
Tim Powers has been Director of Communications for the Colorado Bankers Association since 2006 and involved with CBA since 2005. In addition to the media, informational and research aspects of his role, he also acts as the Program Director for Colorado Bank Leaders of Tomorrow - a leadership training program for emerging leaders in the Colorado banking industry. Prior to his work at CBA, he was a research and strategic coordinator for a Colorado-based non-profit that worked in the juvenile justice field. Tim is a member of the Colorado Economic Leadership Coalition, CACI Execs leadership group, and is a graduate of the Denver Citizens Police Academy. He also spends quality time volunteering at young-adult assisted living facilities, and has been engaged in numerous political activities and campaigns. In his spare time Tim enjoys taking in a good baseball game, escaping to the mountains whenever possible, and strives to keep his softball and football teams out of last place in some of Denver’s fine intramural leagues. He is a native of Colorado, growing up in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood and attended East High School. He was dually enrolled at Cornell University and Ithaca College in New York where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government.
Lexie Kennedy, CBA Executive Assistant
Lexie Kennedy has been the executive assistant for Colorado Bankers Association since October of 2008. Previous to this position she worked for a U.S. Senator on banking, foreclosure, and immigration issues. She has also worked as a teller in numerous banks throughout her college career. Lexie completed her Masters in World Trade and Development from the University of Greenwich in London, England and BA in Political Science and Speech Communications from Colorado State University. Her community activities include working with youth in organizing activities to help build self confidence, tutoring and substitute teaching. Lexie also works actively on foreclosure prevention throughout the state of Colorado. Lexie is a Colorado native and avid traveler. She resides in Broomfield with her husband, Ryan, and their three dogs: Mr. Moe, Marley, and Cassidy.