Officers & Directors

Blake Augsburger serves as Lead Director of Lakeland Financial and Lake City Bank. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of LEA Professional, which designs and manufactures audio amplifiers for the commercial, residential, and professional audio markets. He is the former Executive Vice President and America’s Country Manager of Harman International Industries Incorporated, a Fortune 500 company that designs and manufactures audio and infotainment products and systems. He also served for ten years as the President of the Harman Professional Division, which is based in Northridge, California.

Rob Bartels is a Partner at Incedo LLC, a family office and real estate management company. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Martin’s Super Markets Inc., a regional supermarket chain headquartered in South Bend, Indiana.

Darrianne Christian is currently involved with leading strategic initiatives for BCforward, a global information technology consulting and workforce fulfillment firm founded by Ms. Christian and her husband, Justin Christian, in 1998. Previously, Ms. Christian was a program manager and an IT consultant from 1995-2003, and was an officer with the Central Intelligence Agency from 1990-1995. In addition, she is a board member of Newfields (formerly the Indianapolis Museum of Art), the Central Indiana Community Foundation, IMPACT Central Indiana, and the Eskenazi Foundation. Ms. Christian also works closely with the Justin and Darrianne Christian Center for Diversity and Inclusion at DePauw University.

David Findlay serves as the Chairman of the boards of directors and Chief Executive Officer of Lakeland Financial and Lake City Bank. Mr. Findlay also served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 2014-2023, President and Chief Financial Officer from 2010-2014 and Chief Financial Officer from 2000-2010. Prior to joining Lakeland Financial in September 2000, Mr. Findlay served as the Chief Financial Officer of Quality Dining Inc., a publicly traded company with its headquarters in South Bend, Indiana. Prior to that, he served in various capacities with The Northern Trust Company in Chicago, Illinois.

Mike Kubacki served as Chairman of the boards of directors of Lakeland Financial and Lake City Bank from 2003-2023. Mr. Kubacki also served as Chief Executive Officer of Lakeland Financial and Lake City Bank from 1998 to 2014 and as President from 1998 to 2010. Prior to joining Lakeland Financial in 1998, Mr. Kubacki served as Executive Vice President of The Northern Trust Bank of California, N.A.

Emily Pichon is the Chairman of ETP Asset Holdings, Inc., formerly known as  ExTech Plastics Inc. & ETP, Inc., a former extruder of plastic sheet, and an officer and director of the Olive B. Cole Foundation and the M E Raker Foundation, the Questa Educational Foundation, Inc. and the Howard P. Arnold Foundation, Inc., each a private charitable foundation focused on northeast Indiana education, economic development and conservation based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Kristin Pruitt serves as President of Lakeland Financial and Lake City Bank, a position she has held since 2023. She joined Lakeland Financial in 2008 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and was promoted to Executive Vice President and General Counsel in 2014 and to Chief Administrative Officer in in 2019. Before joining Lake City Bank, she served as Assistant General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for 1st Source Bank in South Bend, Indiana. Previously she practiced law with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington, DC and with Baker and Daniels in South Bend, Indiana.

Steve Ross is owner of Ross and Associates, a real estate management company. Previously, he was President of Heartland Coffee Company, a regional coffee and beverage service company, based in Warsaw, Indiana. Mr. Ross is also the former President of Bertsch Services, Inc., a regional food service and vending company, that was based in Warsaw, Indiana prior to its sale.

Brian Smith is co-Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Financial Group Inc., a real estate investment and management and consumer finance company based in Elkhart, Indiana.

Brad Toothaker is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bradley Company, a large Midwest-based, full-service real estate company.

Scott Welch is the Chief Executive Officer of Welch Packaging Group Inc., which is primarily engaged in producing industrial and point-of-purchase packaging and is headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. In addition, Mr. Welch is a member of the board of Patrick Industries, Inc.