By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion National Bank president Don Noller has been in the banking field 50 years — since he began working for his banker father while still in high school.

The milestone earned him a spot in the 50 Year Club.

Noller, who has been at MNB 20 years, said many things had changed over the last half century.

One is the amount of both state and federal regulation of banks.

“The government has gotten more involved in regulation over the years,” Noller said.

Another is the way deposits and withdrawals are processed.

In his earlier days, accounts were recorded on cards and kept in a file at the bank. Now, records are computerized. Deposits are credited faster, and so are debits.

Noller was born in Wichita. After his family moved to Marshall, Illinois, Noller began working at Dulaney National Bank, where his father worked at that time. Don was a bookkeeper and teller.

One of his tasks was to count coins from city parking meters and process the deposits.

Don later went to work for Wichita’s Chisholm Trail State Bank — now Stryv Bank — in 1976, serving as a teller and bookkeeper. He was promoted to an officer position in 1979.

In 1982, Noller attended Kansas Banking Association’s intermediate school of banking.

In 1983, he went to work for Lyon County State Bank at Emporia, where he was an assistant cashier.

He later was promoted to vice president.

He attended KBA’s commercial lending school in 1998.

He came to Marion in 2003 as senior vice president.

He was elected to the bank’s board of directors in March 2008 and promoted to executive vice president in March 2013 and to president and chief executive in 2016.

Throughout Noller’s career, he’s stayed involved in the communities where he worked.

In Marion, he is past president and board member of Marion Country Club and is a member of Marion Kiwanis Club. He also serves on the board of Marion Economic Development.

At Emporia, Noller was president of Flint Hills Optimist Club, being named a lifetime member for his work with the club.

He also is former president of the Emporia Running Club.

His best memories are found in a different type of community involvement.

The memories that stand out are the times he’s been able to be of genuine help to people.

“A guy years ago was really behind the 8-ball and I was able to help him out,” Noller said.

Both were golfers. Six or seven years ago, the man told him, “I never got to thank you.”

“I’ve enjoyed my 50 years and the chance to help people out working here,” Noller said.