2025 marks a historic milestone for the Graduate School of Banking at LSU—75 years of shaping leaders in the banking industry. Since its founding on June 5, 1950, when the first 99 students walked onto LSU’s campus as part of the then “School of Banking of the South,” GSBLSU has grown into one of the most respected banking schools in the nation.

Over the past three years, the Class of 2025 has upheld the school’s legacy of hard work, dedication, and excellence. With their graduation, the GSBLSU alumni network now includes 17,184 members—banking professionals whose influence reaches across the Southeast, United States, and into Mexico. This powerful community represents decades of innovation, collaboration, and leadership in an industry that’s constantly evolving.

In honor of the school’s Diamond Anniversary, GSBLSU introduced a new tradition: the Woodland Distinguished Performance Award, recognizing the valedictorian of each graduating class. This award commemorates Dr. Donald L. Woodland, who devoted 50 years to GSBLSU—including 31 years as Executive Director—and set a high bar for academic excellence and leadership that continues to define the institution.

The inaugural recipient of this prestigious award is Corissa Miller of InsBank in Nashville, TN, whose outstanding performance reflects the highest standards of academic achievement and leadership potential.

As part of their final preparation for graduation, the students were reminded of their role in the industry by Col. Joseph Musacchia, who told them: “You are leaders of leaders.” It’s a bold charge—and a fitting one for graduates of GSBLSU. The foundation they’ve built and the lessons they’ve absorbed will serve not just their own careers, but the future of the banking industry as a whole.

Here’s to 75 years of legacy—and to the next generation of professionals ready to lead it forward.

Every year, the seniors of GSBLSU take part in the Bank Management Simulation course, a computer-based program that is specifically designed to provide students with a look into management and the decision-making process in specific banking areas, such as investments, funds management, risk management, loans, and asset/liability management.

BMSim is an intensive computer-based educational experience, which serves as the capstone course of our school during students’ final year of instruction.  The class is divided into management teams in six communities to operate simulated banks, and those teams concern themselves with the results of their individual banks, while competing with other banks within their communities.  All teams begin with the same, base-line financial situation – a hypothetical bank with a variety of management and financial challenges – and, during the two-year simulated period, make a wide range of “quarterly” decisions involving all aspects of bank management and operations.  Through computerized analysis, the teams are able to immediately observe the results of their decisions.

The apex of the competition is a verbal presentation to a panel of judges (acting as shareholders and comprised of active or retired actual bank CEOs and examiners) who evaluate the quality of the performance of all teams and select one winner from each community.  Criteria for selection consists of team organization, consistency of performance, bank earnings, the team’s ability to report results to shareholders, and the position of the simulated bank for the future.

The winners in each simulation are recognized, along with their home bank’s President and CEO with a letter and certificate of recognition honoring their outstanding work during the Bank Management Simulation.  We are pleased to share the team winners that were announced at graduation on May 31, 2024

A3	Holt Barnett	FirstSouthern Bank
A3	Jamel Dagher	Paragon Bank
A3	Tammy Gilmer Comeaux	Hancock Whitney Bank
A3	Kevin McCartney	Community Bank of MS
A3	Kaylee Rainwater	Arvest Bank
A3	Will Ray	Citizens First Bank
B4	Trey Geisenhoffer	Wilson Bank & Trust
B4	Trapper Griffith	TC Federal Bank
B4	Jordan Hawkins	United Southern Bank
B4	Jacob Holloway	CLB The Community Bank
B4	Will Pyle	Hancock Whitney Bank
B4	Michael Reynolds	Trustmark National Bank
C3	Stephen Dawkins	Delta Bank
C3	Alisse Fowler	TN Dept. of Financial Instit.
C3	Nita Kuhner	Hancock Whitney Bank
C3	Landon Reneau	CoBank Farm Credit Leasing
C3	Cade Smith	Solutions Plus Bank (Proposed)
C3	Gayle Woolard	AB&T
D5	James Craig	MS Dept of Banking & Consumer Fin
D5	Houston Fortenberry	Delta Bank
D5	Zac Frye	Citizens Bank of Swainsboro
D5	Anne Osborne	Bank Independent
D5	April Rosa	Arvest Bank
D5	Robert Swing	Truist
E3	Wills Brocato	United Community
E3	William Edgar	Southern Bank
E3	Casey Hill	Merchants & Marine Bank
E3	Kavien Hillmon	Southstate Bank
E3	Austin Klanjac	Cadence Bank
E3	Jarrod Orr	River City Bank