Independent Bank Corporation Announces Appointment of Stephen L. Gulis, Jr. as Chairperson to Its Board of Directors

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP), the holding company of Independent Bank, a Michigan-based community bank, announced that its Board of Directors appointed Stephen L. Gulis, Jr. as Chairperson to the Boards of the Corporation and the Bank. Mr. Gulis succeeds Mr. Michael M. Magee who served as Chairperson of the Corporation and the Bank since January 1, 2013. Mr. Gulis became a Director of the Boards of Independent Bank Corporation and Independent Bank in 2004. He retired in 2008 as the Executive Vice President and President of Wolverine Worldwide Global Operations Group. He served as Executive Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer of Wolverine Worldwide prior to his appointment as President, Global Operations. Prior to joining Wolverine Worldwide, he was a certified public accountant with the accounting firm Touche Ross & Company. Mr. Gulis is also a Director for Sleep Number Corporation. In addition to his board positions, Mr. Gulis serves as an independent financial, operations and management advisor to several privately held organizations.

William B. (“Brad”) Kessel, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Independent Bank Corporation, commented: “We are pleased to have Steve as our Chairperson of the Boards of Directors of both our parent company and the Bank. His experience and leadership as a long-time member of our Board, and his prior experience as a chief financial officer of a publicly traded corporation will continue to be valuable assets to our organization as he moves into this new position. I would also like to thank Mike for his strong leadership as Chairperson for the past 11 plus years. We are pleased to have him continue to serve on the Corporate and Bank boards.”

Stephen Gulis, Jr. commented: “I am honored to accept the position of Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Independent Bank Corporation and of Independent Bank. As a long-time Director, I look forward to continue working with this very talented Board and management team in this new role.”

Mr. Gulis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Northern Michigan University.

About Independent Bank Corporation

Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP) is a Michigan-based bank holding company with total assets of approximately $5.3 billion. Founded as First National Bank of Ionia in 1864, Independent Bank Corporation operates a branch network across Michigan's Lower Peninsula through one state-chartered bank subsidiary. This subsidiary (Independent Bank) provides a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage lending, investments, and title services. Independent Bank Corporation is committed to providing exceptional personal service and value to its customers, stockholders, and the communities it serves. For more information, please visit our website at: IndependentBank.com .