Robert D. Dobsch – Chair
Robert (Bob) D. Dobsch, a lifelong resident of Washington, Missouri, is the founder, President and CEO of Bank of Franklin County. Bob earned an associate’s degree in Business Administration and went on to graduate from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Administration/Public Finance. After working for Mercantile Bank for 21 years, Bob raised $4.5 million in capital funds for Franklin Bancorp, Inc., formed the first Board of Directors for Bank of Franklin County, and chartered the De Novo bank in 2000. His leadership has led the Bank to grow total assets to over $325 million, operate 5 locations and form a subsidiary, Missouri Valley Wealth Management. He has served on numerous civic and community groups including; Washington Area Highway Transportation Committee, Tax Increment Financing Commission, Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, Union Area Chamber of Commerce, East Central College Foundation Board, Chairman of the Washington Town and Country Fair and Chairman of the Washington Historical Society Finance Committee. He served as President of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Council as well as serving on their major gifts campaign committee. He then went on to work on the major gifts campaigns for St. Francis Borgia Regional High School and the Washington Historical Society’s Share Washington’s Heritage campaign. Bob is currently the President of the Washington Civic Industrial Board where he also acts as Treasurer, and Treasurer of the Washington Industrial Development Authority. He is on the Board of Washington 353 Redevelopment and the Public Facilities Committee, a member of the St. Louis Archdiocese Pastoral Council and a member of the Washington Lions, Elks and Knights of Columbus organizations. Term as a Member expires July 30, 2027.
William E. (Bill) Ekey – Vice Chair
William E. (Bill) Ekey, a resident of Odessa, Missouri, spent 35 of his 39-year professional career with the Commerce Trust Company, a division of Commerce Bank. While at Commerce he rose from the rank of Assistant Vice President to Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Trust. He successfully guided the growth of the department from under $2 billion municipal debt to almost $15 billion while also promoting a corresponding increase in revenue and profitability. He was able to expand the Company’s service area that was centered primarily in Missouri to providing services to cities, states and other political subdivisions throughout the United States. After a strategic change in direction by Commerce, Bill was instrumental in guiding the successful transfer of Commerce’s Corporate Trust portfolio of business to UMB Financial Corporation in early 2020. He finished out his career at UMB, where he helped his former staff integrate their accounts into UMB’s system. After seeing the transition run smoothly for each of the involved banks, the staff and their customers, Bill retired in August 2020. Prior to joining Commerce, Bill was a Corporate Trust Officer at Security National Bank in Kansas City, Kansas. After spending two years there, he took advantage of an opportunity to manage a small Corporate Trust Department at the newly formed Bank of Kansas City. These experiences provided him a firm foundation for the move to Commerce. Bill received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas. He went on to earn his law degree from the Washburn University of Topeka School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in the State of Kansas. Additional professional education included earning a designation of Certified Corporate Trust Specialist from the Cannon Financial Institute and an employee benefit plan design certificate from Booke and Associates. He has been a life-long member of Ducks Unlimited, serving as area chairman in Kansas City for eight years. He is the recipient of the Greater Kansas City Committee’s prestigious Preston Williams Conservation Award. He continues his involvement as a committee member of the Odessa, Missouri Ducks Unlimited Chapter. He is also a member of the National Rifle Association and the Pioneer Gun Club, where he is a member of the Club’s audit committee. Bill is an avid hunter, pursuing ducks, upland game and deer. He is also loves to play golf, but mastering the game continues to elude him. Bill and his wife, Betty, are members of Timothy Lutheran Church in Blue Springs, Missouri. He has served on the Church’s stewardship committee and on the Church’s financial advisory committee. Bill and Betty have six children and five grandchildren. Term as a Member expires July 30, 2028.
Joseph A. Cavato – Treasurer
Mr. Cavato, a resident of University City, Missouri is the principal and owner of JAC Consulting, LLC, providing consulting and advisory services to local governments, non-profit agencies and real estate development entities. Services include program management, real estate and development planning, project management, financial advisory and intergovernmental relations. In addition to his long professional career in government and finance, Mr. Cavato has been very active in the community as an advisor, volunteer and board member of a number of educational, non-profit, religious and governmental entities. He has served as a board member of Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School, Barat Academy, Beyond Housing, the Missouri Workforce Housing Association and the Saint Louis University Urban Planning and Real Estate Development Program. Term as a Member expired July 30, 2013.
Thomas E. George – Member
Mr. George, a resident of St. Louis, Missouri retired as President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One in St. Louis. Prior to serving as President since 1998 he served various other roles for Local One including Registrar, Instructor, Business Agent, Organizer and as Trustee for several different funds. He is a lifelong Journeyman Wireman. In addition to his professional career, Mr. George was elected to four terms as a Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 74th district representing a portion of north St. Louis County. He was Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Labor Committee, Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee and the Municipal Corporation Committee. His other committee memberships included Missouri Job Training Legislative Oversight; Local Government; Appropriation – Natural and Economic Resources; Insurance; Communications, Energy and Technology; and Employment Security and Unemployment Benefits Workers Compensation. He has been honored as the Thomas F. Eagleton Grassroots Democrat of the Year. Mr. George also served six years with the 138th Infantry of the Missouri National Guard. Term as a Member expired July 30, 2015.
Paul J. Ogier – Member
Mr. Ogier, a resident of St. Louis, Missouri is the retired long-time Chief Financial Officer of Lutheran Senior Services in Brentwood, Missouri. He currently serves part time as Chief Financial Officer of the Carmelite Sisters of the Devine Heart of Jesus, a provider of long-term care services. Mr. Ogier has a B.S. Degree in Finance from Missouri State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His professional career began in 1980 as a consultant with Laventhol & Horwath, a national accounting firm. His work consisted primarily of providing financial and operational consulting services to senior housing, and advanced to being the Practice Manager for the Midwest for Senior Housing. Mr. Ogier left Laventhol and Horwath in 1986 and became the co-founder and President of Provident Group, a full-service management and development company in the senior housing industry. Provident Group grew to manage twelve Assisted Living communities located in the Midwest. Provident Group became a subsidiary of Lutheran Senior Services (LSS) in June 2001. Mr. Ogier served LSS as Vice President of Development and Other Services until he was named Chief Financial Officer in 2006. Effective April 2020, Mr. Ogier served as a Senior Advisor to LSS until his retirement on December 31, 2021. He has a vast knowledge of development, operations, and financing, with a special emphasis on project financing. Mr. Ogier has been a leader in the senior housing industry for over 40 years. At the time that Mr. Ogier retired, Lutheran Senior Services served approximately 4,000 residents in nine Life Plan Communities and approximately 800 residents in twelve Affordable Housing Communities in addition to a wide array of Community Based Services. Mr. Ogier continues to provide limited consulting services to not for profits in the senior housing industry.
He has been actively engaged in industry and community and served in the following positions: Board member of Leading Age Missouri (until September 2022) and chair of the advocacy committee; Board member of Missouri Health Care Association (until December 2021); Board member and Treasurer of the Nursing Facilities Agent Corporation (until June 2023); and Board member and treasurer for Trinity Lutheran Church in Town and Country MO. (term expires January 2025).