Matthew W. Howrey, 2025 chairman of the Indiana Bankers Association, has been honored as a Distinguished Hoosier by Gov. Mike Braun. The award was presented by Tom Fite, director of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, during the chairman’s banquet at the IBA Annual Convention in French Lick. The Distinguished Hoosier Award is one of the highest honors given by the State of Indiana, granted at the discretion of the governor to outstanding residents for their accomplishments and contributions to their communities.
Howrey is president and CEO of North Salem State Bank and its holding company, North Salem State Bancorporation, positions he has held since 2010. Before joining the organization in 2008 as chief financial officer, he served as a bank examiner for the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, reaching the level of senior financial examiner. Howrey’s community leadership includes the Hendricks County Community Foundation and Putnam County 100 Men Who Care. He is a past president of both the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County and the Greencastle-Putnam County Economic Development Center.
“Matt has been described by his colleagues as a leader who cares less for making a legacy for his own name than he does for making his community, his industry and our Association better,” said Amber R. Van Til, president and CEO of the IBA. “His passion for building the next generation of the workforce and offering young Hoosiers not just a job but a career they can be proud of, will make a lasting impact for generations to come and make him a worthy recipient of this honor.”
Howrey earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Indiana University, and was named a Rising Star in Banking in 2013 by Northwestern Financial (now BankBeat) magazine.
