Forward Bank

After nearly a half century of service to the community, Gene Knoll from Forward Bank has been honored.

Knoll started his banking career with Security State Bank in Colby in March of 1974. In 1988 Security merged with the State Bank of Medford forming Mid-Wisconsin Financial Services. Knoll served as the President of Mid-Wisconsin Bank in in Colby through the addition of Neillsville until leadership was consolidated for Medford, Colby, and Neillsville in the mid-1990s. He led Mid-Wisconsin Bank as President and CEO until his retirement in the Spring of 2008. Later that year, Knoll started as a consultant for Forward Bank and officially joined the team as a Vice President – Commercial Lender in June of 2009. He continues to bring his insight on banking to the leadership team as a part-time employee focusing on special projects.

“Gene’s knowledge of the financial services industry and his strong relationships with community members in the Medford and Colby communities was a launching pad for two of the current Forward Bank locations,” commented Bill Sennholz, CEO of Forward. “We are continually thankful that we have him as a resource for our growing organization and as a mentor to younger members of our team.”

Knoll was honored at the Wisconsin Bankers Association Bank Management Conference in Green Bay, one of the largest banking events in Wisconsin, on September 14, 2021. He was recognized along with many other dedicated bankers for their extraordinary service to Wisconsin’s financial industry.