Docking Announces Retirement

Bill Docking Announces Retirement From USB Board of Directors

The Union State Bank Board of Directors has accepted the retirement of William (Bill) R. Docking as Chairman Emeritus of the Board.  Bill held the position of Chief Executive Officer for Union State Bank for over thirty-years, from 1983 until 2014. After stepping down as CEO, he continued as Chairman and later Chairman Emeritus to Union State Bank’s Board of Directors. Bill also served as Chairman, President and CEO of Docking Bancshares, Inc., Union State Bank’s holding company. 

“One of the most notable attributes a successful company can acquire is a great culture in which its employees can thrive while serving the needs of its community. Union State Bank has been blessed with that culture from over 40 years of leadership under Bill Docking,” expressed Brian Docking, Chairman of the Union State Bank Board of Directors.

Since 1956, control of the bank and the holding company, Docking Bancshares, Inc., has resided with the Docking Family. Former Kansas Governor, Robert Docking, held the position of Chief Executive Officer from 1957-1983.

Bill attended the University of Kansas, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1973 and a master’s of business administration and juris doctorate in 1977. In 1983 he moved back to Arkansas City to take over as Chief Executive Officer of Union State Bank. Through Bill’s leadership the bank was able to expand through organic growth and mergers with The State Bank of Winfield, Relianz Bank and Midland National Bank, bringing the organization to twelve locations throughout Kansas and Oklahoma with total assets over $700 million by 2024.

“We’ve come a long way," said Bill Docking. The bank had a single location in Arkansas City and $28.3 million in total assets when he became CEO in 1983, he said.

Bill continued as Union State Bank’s Chief Executive Officer for over thirty years, stepping down in February of 2014. At the time of the transition, Docking was quoted saying, “The time has come for me to devote more time to holding company responsibilities. Moving forward, Eric (Kurtz) is someone I trust will do an excellent job serving the customers and will represent the bank well as our new CEO.”

Bill remained active within the leadership of Union State Bank through the Board Chairman role. He was a member of the Cowley College Foundation’s Board of Directors and a trustee of the Kansas University Endowment Association. From 2000-2019, he was a member of the KU Endowment Association executive committee. He served 10 years as a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, the governing board of Kansas’ six state universities. He is a former director of the Kansas Health Foundation and former president of the Kansas Bankers Association.

In 2007, Bill, his brother Tom and Union State Bank established the Docking Lecture Series on Leadership and Public Service at Southwestern College in Winfield, KS.  Speakers have included US Senator Pat Roberts, Chuck Todd of NBC News, University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato, American Enterprise Institute resident scholar Norman Ornstein, journalist, author and filmmaker Sebastian Junger, CNN analyst and author Jeffrey Toobin, and Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners General Wesley Clark and Dr. Julieta Villarreal Garcia. 

“Tom was my younger brother and only sibling.  For 34 years he and I were business partners.  Tom, as a lawyer, and I, as a banker, saw situations in which family members in business together ended up losing both their business and their family.  We were determined this would not happen to us, and it never did.  For 34 years, I had Tom’s back and he had mine.”

Bill transitioned from Chairman of USB’s Board of Directors to Chairman Emeritus in 2022. Brian Docking, senior vice president and certified financial planner at Baird's The Docking Group and Union State Bank Board of Directors member since 2007, was elected to fill the position.

“Brian brings a diversified experience and background to our Board,” said Bill Docking.  “We believe his input and guidance will provide value to our bank for decades to come, and we’re delighted to have him on board at USB.”

Brian Docking, who is Tom Docking’s son and Bill’s nephew, represents the fourth generation of the Docking family to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Union State Bank.

“I consider one of my greatest responsibilities to be preserving that culture while building upon the incredible growth and success we have experienced under Bill Docking, Management, and the hard work of all Union State Bank employees,” said Brian Docking.