Preston L. Kennedy, President and CEO of Bank of Zachary, was elected at-large director of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) for 2012-13.

Kennedy was elected during the 2012 ICBA National Convention and Techworld® in Nashville, Tenn. His term began at the conclusion of the convention March 14.

“Community banks are local job creators that serve a key role in helping their local economies grow and prosper, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this great industry,” Kennedy said. “I am honored to be elected to this position and feel privileged to work on behalf of the nation’s community banks. They work tirelessly every day to serve the needs of their local customers to help ensure their financial success, while also continuing to reinvest in their communities to make them a better place for local residents to live and work for generations to come.”

Kennedy has served in many leadership roles at ICBA. In 2008, Kennedy was elected state director, and he was re-elected for a second three-year term in 2011. He serves on the Lending Committee and is vice chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Task Force. Kennedy served as an appointed director from 1997 to 1999 and was a member of the Congressional Affairs and Regulation Review committees. In 2010, he was elected to the ICBA Securities Corp. board of directors. In his community, Kennedy has served as president of the Feliciana Chamber of Commerce and the Zachary Chamber of Commerce. He is a past president and active in the Rotary Club of Zachary and is a board member for small business incubator Dixie Business Center.

“Kennedy is a dedicated community banker who is respected by his industry peers,” said ICBA Chairman Jeff Gerhart, chairman of Bank of Newman Grove, Neb. “We are delighted he will be generously offering his time and valuable professional talents to the service of the community banking industry.”

ICBA is the only national trade association dedicated exclusively to promoting the interests of locally operated community banks and savings institutions. With trusted financial expertise and quality customer service as their hallmarks, community banks offer the best financial-services option for millions of consumers, small businesses, farms and ranches.

For more information, including a biography for Kennedy, visit www.icba.org/news/index.cfmItemNumber=879&sn.ItemNumber=1734 ICBA’s Media Center.

About ICBA

The Independent Community Bankers of America, the nation’s voice for community banks, represents nearly 5,000 community banks of all sizes and charter types throughout the United States and is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and the communities and customers we serve. For more information, visit www.icba.org.