Equity Bancshares EQBK

Mr. Elliott is our founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He also serves as Chairman of Equity Bank. Mr. Elliott began his banking career and was employed in various capacities by Home State Bank and Trust for six years following graduation from McPherson College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Management. He then joined Sunflower Bank as a Market President for two years before joining American Traffic Systems as its director of operations in Scottsdale, Arizona. Mr. Elliott then returned to Wichita to serve as Director of Marketing at Koch Industries, Inc., a privately held multinational corporation. He then rejoined Sunflower Bank as its Regional President. Mr. Elliott founded Equity Bancshares in 2002. He is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and has served on the Board of Directors for the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce, as Trustee and Chair of the finance committee for the Board of Directors of McPherson College, and as the President of the Wichita State University Shocker Athletic Scholarship Organization. He has also served on the PCS Advisory Board, Via Christi Health Board of Directors and as Treasurer, and the Kansas Bankers Association. Mr. Elliott currently serves on Pentegra's Defined Contribution Plan Board of Directors.

Mr. Sems joined Equity Bank as President in May 2023 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in May 2024. Before that, Mr. Sems was the Chief Banking Officer for First Bank in St. Louis, MO. Mr. Sems served as President and CEO of Reliance Bank from 2013 to 2016 and Regional President of PNC Financial Services from 2009-2013. He worked as the President and CEO of Missouri Banking and served as EVP and Managing Director of Corporate Planning of National City Corporation from 2000-2009. Mr. Sems also spent time with PWC, working as a manager from 1993 to 1998 and is an Inactive CPA. He has a B.S in Accounting from Grove City College in Pennsylvania and an MBA - Corporate Strategy from the University of Michigan Ross Business School. He serves on the board of trustees for Grove City College.

Mr. Kossover currently serves as Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Oklahoma Regional CEO at Equity Bank. Prior to this role, he served as President and Chief Financial Officer of Vantage Point Properties. Mr. Kossover has previously served as Chief Financial Officer then Chief Operating Officer of the Company. He has served as a member of our Board since December 2011. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Kossover served as President of Physicians Development Group, a builder and manager of senior living facilities in the Wichita, Kansas metropolitan area, from 2012 to 2013. From 2004 to 2011 he served as Chief Executive Officer of Value Place, LLC, one of the largest extended stay lodging franchises in the United States. Mr. Kossover graduated from Emporia State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and has successfully completed the Uniform Certified Public Accountants exam.

Mr. Navratil serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Equity Bancshares. Mr. Navratil joined Equity as a Senior Vice President within Finance in February 2019. Prior to his promotion to Company CFO, Mr. Navratil served as Equity Bank CFO, overseeing financial and balance sheet strategy, liquidity, financial planning and analysis, investor outreach and more. Before Equity Bank, he spent seven years, including two as a Senior Manager within the Financial Institution Audit Practice, with Crowe LLP a public accounting firm in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Navratil received his master's degree in accountancy from Northern Illinois University in 2011.

Ms. Huber serves as Chief Operating Officer of Equity Bank. Ms. Huber joined Equity Bank in 2003 and has served in a variety of leadership roles over a period of twenty-one years, including overseeing risk and compliance, operations, strategy implementation, and has managed the integration process for each community bank we have acquired. Ms. Huber served as President of Signature Bank following its acquisition in 2007. Ms. Huber graduated from McPherson College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and History, received her Master of Business Administration from Baker University in 2014 and is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and the Bank Leaders of Kansas. Ms. Huber has been recognized as one of the Wichita Business Journal's Women in Business in 2013 and Women Who Lead in 2019. Ms. Huber was also inducted to the Wichita Business Journals 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame in 2020 and was named a Wichita Business Journal Executive of the Year in 2021. Ms. Huber currently serves as Board Trustee and Chairwoman of the Financial Affairs Committee for McPherson College and is a Board Member of the Kansas Bankers Association.

Mr. Penner has served as a member of our Board since 2003. Mr. Penner is the owner of Shamrock Development, LLC, a real estate development firm, which he founded in 1997. He also serves as a director of First Federal of Olathe Bancorp, Inc., First Federal Savings and Loan Bank, and GPV, Inc. Mr. Penner previously worked as a national bank examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Mr. Penner graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration degrees. He currently serves as a member of the Wichita State University Foundation Board of Directors as well as Chair of the Foundation's Investment Committee.

Mr. Cook was a Partner and business leader at Forvis Mazars, LLP a national CPA and advisory firm until his retirement in September 2019. He brings to the Company his insights and expertise from his exceptional 33-year career in public accounting providing solutions to financial services companies. His skills focused on developing and leading Forvis Mazars, LLP financial services practice into the marketplace through quality, reputation, networking, brand, and high-level advisement. Various leadership positions during his career included national tax leader financial services practice, national leader outsourcing services practice, and regional leader for Kansas City, Iowa and Wisconsin financial services practice. During his time at Forvis Mazars, LLP, Mr. Cook worked with some the firm's largest financial services clients which gives him unique insights into financial reporting, taxation, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and corporate governance matters. Mr. Cook also previously served as Board Chair and as a member of the Board of Governors of Nebraska Wesleyan University. He has served as a director for numerous non-profit, civic, and charitable organizations. Mr. Cook is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Mr. Gaeddert has served as a member of our Board since 2007. Mr. Gaeddert has served as Managing Partner of B12 Capital Partners, LLC since 2007. Prior to co-founding B12 Capital Partners, LLC in 2006, Mr. Gaeddert was employed in various capacities by Commerce Bancshares, Inc. and its affiliates, including serving as Kansas City officer manager for its private equity arm, Capital For Business, Inc. Mr. Gaeddert currently serves on the Board of Directors for several of B12 Capital Partners' portfolio companies. He is also a member of the board of the Mennonite Economic Development Committee (MEDA) and serves on the MEDA Mauritius Foundation and as a member of the investment committee of the MEDA Risk Capital Fund. Mr. Gaeddert graduated from Bethel College with a degree in Economics and Business Administration and he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Kansas.

Mr. Loving is a veteran executive of the downstream petroleum industry, with 35 years of experience in the energy sector. Mr. Loving served as President of the National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA) for 20 years prior to retirement following the successful integration of NCRA into an acquiring organization. In this role, he oversaw finance, human resources, operations, and stakeholder management while navigating the cyclical challenges and dramatic changes within the energy industry over that time. In addition to his role with NCRA, Mr. Loving has served on several company and public service boards. He holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a MBA from the University of Utah.

Mr. Borck is the former Chairman and current board member of Innovative Livestock Services, Inc. and Ward Feed Yard where he has served since 1980. Mr. Borck joined the Company's Board following our merger with American State Bancshares, Inc. in 2021 where he served as Chairman of the Board from 2001 through the date of the merger. He earned his degree in Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Mr. Borck has served on the boards of various companies and philanthropic organizations.

Ms. Koger has served as a member of our Board since 2003. Ms. Koger is currently a partner, leading the Estate Planning and Tax Planning practice groups, with the law firm of Wise & Reber, L.C. where she has practiced since 1991. Ms. Koger has served on local boards and volunteer organizations, including various philanthropic end endeavors. She has served as past president of the McPherson Chamber of Commerce and chair of the United Way Fund. Ms. Koger graduated from Oklahoma State University with degrees in Agricultural Economics and Accounting, and from the University of Tulsa with her Juris Doctorate. She passed the CPA exam in 1987. Ms. Koger has been on the board of the Company since its inception. Randee R. Koger will resign from the company effective from 2026 Annual Meeting.

Mr. Maland was appointed to the Company's Board upon the closing of the merger of the Company and Community First Bancshares, Inc. in 2016. Mr. Maland served as a director of Community First Bancshares, Inc. following its formation in 1997, and served as Chairman of the board for both Community First Bank and Community First Bancshares, Inc. Mr. Maland is the former owner of McDonald's restaurants in Harrison, Berryville, and Eureka Springs. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Security Bank and First Commercial Corporation from 1984 until forming Community First Bank in 1997. Mr. Maland is a graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Mr. Hutton has served as a member of our Board since 2020. Mr. Hutton is the Chief Executive Officer of Hutton Corporation, a regional design and construction firm, where he has been employed since 2006. Mr. Hutton has served on the boards of various civic and nonprofit organizations including, among others, Associated General Contractors of Kansas, Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, Trinity Academy and the Wichita Chamber of Commerce of which he is a past chair. He is also actively involved with The Greater Wichita Partnership. Mr. Hutton holds a Bachelors of Science in Construction from Kansas State University as well as a Masters of Business Administration from Friends University.

Ms. Everett, RDH, joined Delta Dental of Kansas (DDKS), a dental benefits administrator in 1987 and served as Vice President Provider Relations for 26 years and the same position for Surency Life and Health, a DDKS subsidiary that administered ancillary products in five states. A key contributor and participant in the corporation's strategic planning, budgeting, and programs, she reported to the CEO and was responsible for directing and controlling all functions of the provider network for state and national business including training, contracting, compliance, audits, and building relationships. Everett serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce as 2020 Board Chair and Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the Kansas Health Foundation having previously served as Board Chair and Finance Chair and a member of the audit and governance committees. Other services include the Sedgwick County District 2 Advisory board, Wichita State University (WSU) Foundation Board, National Advisory Council and was appointed by the Governor of Kansas to the WSU Board of Trustees in 2021. Ms. Everett holds both a Bachelors of Art and Science from Wichita State University.

Mr. Fergeson is a distinguished financial services executive having over 40 years experience in operational and leadership roles for financial institutions. He was the founder of NBC Corp. of Oklahoma (NBC) and Chair of the Board through its sale to the Company in July of 2025. In addition to his leadership role at NBC, Mr. Fergeson has previously served as the Chairman of both the Oklahoma Banker's Association and the American Banker's Association. He also currently serves as a Director at Argent Financial Trust and has served various philanthropic organizations.

Mr. Pass joined Equity Bank in July 2023 and serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer. Mr. Pass brings more than 23 years in financial services information technology with him to Equity Bank, including serving as either Chief Information Security Officer or Chief Information Officer at two publicly traded companies. Most recently, Mr. Pass served as an EVP on the technology team at UMB Bank, overseeing transformation, enterprise architecture, applications, and enterprise fraud teams. Before UMB, Mr. Pass spent 17 years as the CIO of CoBiz Financial, which was acquired by BOK Financial in 2018. He is a 1992 graduate of the University of Northern Colorado receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business & Finance.

Mr. Reber serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Prior to joining the Company, he practiced for 30 years with Wise & Reber, L.C., a full-service commercial and civil law firm in McPherson Kansas, as the firm's managing member. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors in General Studies Degree and earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Following law school, Mr. Reber served as a law clerk to the United States District Court Judge Thomas R. Brett in the Northern District of Oklahoma. He has been active in bar association activities and has served as the President of the Kansas Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. He is a Fellow of the Kansas Bar Foundation and American Bar Foundation, and is a member of the American, Kansas, and Oklahoma bar associations, and the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel. Mr. Reber is active in state and local community affairs. He is a trustee of the Julia J. Mingenback Foundation and a Director of the McPherson Industrial Development Company.

Ms. Knutson has been Chief Human Resources Officer since of June of 2023. Ms. Knutson brings over 25 years of human resources experience to the team. Prior to time at Equity Bank, she was a Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Bank Five Nine and worked for 16 years at American Family Insurance in a variety of HR roles in her native Wisconsin. The Milwaukee BizTimes recognized Ms. Knutson as a Notable Woman in Human Resources in 2021 and the Wichita Business Journal recognized her as Women Who Lead at Major Employers in 2024. She received her Master of Science degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University and has taught a variety of courses in both a technical college and at the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI. Ms. Knutson is involved with the Wichita's Women's Network and the Wichita Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Schlehuber will be appointed as director as 2026 annual meeting. Ms. Schlehuber is a distinguished financial services executive having over 30 years experience in operational and leadership roles for financial institutions. She ended her management career serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Elements Credit Union. Under her leadership, Elements more than doubled its balance sheet and built a strong wealth management division. Beyond her executive role, Ms. Schlehuber has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, as well as held board positions with CO-OP Financial Services, the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and Pentegra Retirement Services.

Mr. Slupkowski has been Equity Bank's Chief Credit Officer since September 2023. Krzysztof joined Equity in 2018 and has worked with its largest borrowers as Metro Market Chief Credit Officer guiding credit decisions for Equity's locations in Wichita, Kansas City, and Tulsa. Prior to joining Equity, Mr. Slupkowski worked in various credit functions for Commerce Bancshares. Krzysztof earned his Master of Business Administration from Wichita State University.