Rockford, Ill. – August 5, 2014 – Associated Banc-Corp (“Associated”) has announced the hiring of Thomas E. Kress as president of the Rockford Community Market.

In that new role, Kress will oversee the banking and other financial service operations for Associated’s seven branches in the Rockford area. He will also lead an expanded company commitment to the market including the addition of locally based financial services targeted to the unique needs of its consumer and commercial customers.

Timothy J. Lau, Associated’s executive vice president and head of community markets, noted that Kress’s extensive industry experience will be a significant asset in his new role. ”Tom is highly qualified to lead our commitment to expand the depth and breadth of our business offerings in the Rockford Community Market,” Lau said.

Kress has nearly 30 years of diverse bank management experience. Most recently he held executive roles in both state and national business banking relationship management with Citizens Financial Group based in Rolling Meadows, Ill. Earlier in his career he held key positions with several other Illinois financial services companies including Platinum Community Bank, Park National Bank and La Salle Bank.

Kress is a member of the Board of Directors of the Special Education District of Lake County Foundation (Ill.) and holds a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

Associated has also announced that Jorge A. Herrera will be joining the Rockford Community Market leadership team and reporting to Kress. Herrera will serve as commercial banking team leader.

His commercial banking experience includes stints with JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank One, and American National Bank and Trust of Chicago, a Bank One company.

Herrera serves as chairman of the Board of Directors for La Voz Latina, a not-for-profit Hispanic Resource Development Center. He has also held volunteer leadership roles with the YMCA of Rock River Valley and the Big Brothers Big Sisters advisory board of the YMCA of Rock River Valley.

He holds both a bachelor’s and an M.B.A. degree from Northern Illinois University.