FHLBank Chicago Announces Results of 2026 Director Election

FHLBank Chicago members re-elected Betsy A. Johnson in Illinois and Kevin L. Newell as public interest independent director. James H. Hegenbarth ran unopposed in Wisconsin.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) today announced the results of its 2026 director election. Members elected one director from Illinois and one public interest independent director, while one director from Wisconsin ran unopposed. Each director will serve a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

Illinois members re-elected Betsy A. Johnson.

Johnson has served on the FHLBank Chicago Board of Directors since 2023 and is Chairman and CEO of Solutions Bank in Forreston, Illinois. Since joining the Solutions Bank in 1996, she has held leadership roles spanning lending, human resources, asset/liability management, risk management, and regulatory reporting. She became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2018, President and CEO in 2020, and Chairman and CEO in 2025. At FHLBank Chicago, Johnson serves on the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and as Vice Chair of the Risk Management Committee. She previously served on the Affordable Housing and Operations and Technology committees. Johnson is a former Chair of the Illinois Bankers Association and previously served on the FDIC Community Banking Advisory Committee. She is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she later served as chair of its Banker Advisory Board.

FHLBank Chicago members re-elected public interest independent director Kevin L. Newell.

Newell has served on the FHLBank Chicago Board of Directors since 2023 and is founder and CEO of Royal Capital Group, a Milwaukee-based real estate development firm focused on economic development and housing in urban communities. Since founding the company in 2010, he has led its business development, strategy, and investment activities. Newell serves on the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Impact Investment Committee and the boards of Guest House of Milwaukee, MLK Economic Development Corporation, and Wisconsin Preservation Fund. Newell previously served on the FHLBank Chicago Community Investment Advisory Council from 2019 to 2022. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, with an emphasis in finance and management, and is an alumnus of Marquette University’s Associates in Commercial Real Estate program.

James H. Hegenbarth ran unopposed in Wisconsin.

Hegenbarth previously served on the FHLBank Chicago Board of Directors from 2018 through 2025. He is President and Director of Bank CMG in Madison, Wisconsin, and has worked in the banking industry since 1985. He previously served as President and CEO and a Board member of Park Bank in Madison from 1991 to 2024 and earlier worked at First Bank N.A., now U.S. Bank. Hegenbarth also serves on the board of Greenwoods Financial Group, Inc. Hegenbarth was named the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s 2020 Banker of the Year and has served on the association’s Board of Directors and Government Relations Committee, the American Bankers Association FHLB Committee, and the American Family Children’s Hospital board. He is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For voting results, visit the Director Elections webpage.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

FHLBank Chicago is a regional bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with a focus on providing solutions that support the housing and community development needs of members’ customers. FHLBank Chicago is a self-capitalizing cooperative, owned by its Illinois and Wisconsin members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. To learn more about FHLBank Chicago, please visit fhlbc.com.