October 2024
Washington, MO – Bank of Washington Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer L. B. Eckelkamp, Jr. has recently announced the new roles of three leadership team members: Gary Tod, Eric Patke and Robert Vossbrink, III.
Tod joined the Bank of Washington in 2021 as a vice president - commercial lending with nearly 20 years of experience and recently expanded his role as the Bank’s vice president - credit. He has experience in commercial real estate, homebuilder finance, commercial and industrial, community banking, asset management and more. In his expanded role, he leads the credit team and oversees the Bank’s credit risk management, focusing on credit procedures, team development, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance and a minor in Economics from Missouri Valley College and is a graduate of St. Francis Borgia High School. He is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and has spent many years volunteering as a youth coach in soccer, baseball and basketball.
“At Bank of Washington, I value our culture, community involvement, and our team’s ability to create customized, flexible financial solutions for customers,” stated Tod. “I am proud to be a part of the team here and very happy to contribute to my hometown community.”
Patke joined the Bank of Washington in March 2020 as Assistant Vice President, was promoted to Vice President of Finance & Risk Management in 2022, and most recently to Senior Vice President of Finance & Accounting in September. He has over 21 years of banking experience with the last 12 years focused on bank finance and accounting functions. In Patke’s role, he is focused on managing and overseeing the finance and accounting department including daily financial tracking and monitoring, annual budget, financial audits and balance sheet management. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Finance from Southeast Missouri State University and is a graduate of Missouri Bankers Association School of Banking and St. Francis Borgia High School. He was recognized as an Outstanding Young Professional by the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce in 2016. Patke is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and volunteers on the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Finance Council, is a member of the St. Francis Borgia Athletic Association and Golf Committee, member of the Washington Knights of Columbus, Washington Lions Club, and Washington Elks Lodge 1559.
“I am extremely fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to work for such a highly respected organization and family that is so dedicated to its customers, employees and community,” stated Patke.
Vossbrink started his career as a public accountant serving public and private audit clients in the retail, industrial, and financial services industries. He joined the bank in 2021 as a credit analyst, was promoted to commercial lender/credit analyst in 2023, then most recently vice president – commercial lending this past September. Vossbrink’s main focus is working with current and potential loan customers on finding the right banking solutions to help them achieve their goals. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Master of Accountancy, graduate of Missouri Bankers Association School of Lending, and graduate of St. Francis Borgia High School. Vossbrink volunteers as the treasurer of Downtown Washington, Inc., board member of the University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business Recent Alumni Advisory Board, committee member of the St. Francis Borgia High School Athletic Association Men’s Golf Tournament, and a member of the Washington Knights of Columbus and St. Francis Borgia Parish.
“I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside so many people who are committed to providing unrivaled customer service, service to the community, and a family atmosphere. Bank of Washington’s leadership has consistently demonstrated its commitment to our customers, which translates into success for our local community,” stated Vossbrink. “I am proud to work at a place like the Bank of Washington, which sets the standard in terms of dedication to the community. The personal and professional friendships I have built with customers and coworkers alike throughout my time at the Bank are invaluable, and I am excited to continue to build on these and look forward to the opportunity to establish new relationships in the years to come.”
The Bank of Washington was established in 1877 and is rooted in serving the community. Their mission is to do good – by prioritizing employees, customers, community, and relationships. They are tied to the communities they serve, providing personalized, relationship-based banking services. Their focus is to keep their local communities vibrant and growing. The investments that the Bank of Washington makes in the local community and surrounding area ranks them as one of the largest commercial lenders in the St. Louis area. The Bank of Washington is consistently voted the No. 1 bank and mortgage lender in the Washington Missourian Readers’ Choice Awards and consistently selected by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly readers as one of the Best Banks in St. Louis and Best in Customer Service in St. Louis.