116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust CEO retiring
Bank’s president, James Klein, will transition into role in May
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Larry Helling, who has led Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust since its founding in 2001, will retire later this Spring, the bank announced this week.
Helling will retire from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and of the bank’s parent company, QCR Holdings Inc.
The change will happen following the annual shareholders meeting in May, at which time current president, James Klein, will transition into the President & CEO role.
Helling will continue with the bank in an 18-month part-time advisory role.
Helling led the creation of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust established in 2001.
“It’s the right time,” Helling said in a statement about his decision to retire. “Almost 24 years ago, I was fortunate to have a team of people who shared the same vision and were willing to take a leap of faith with me to start a community bank where local relationships and service mattered. Today, I am immensely proud that CRBT is fulfilling that mission every day. I have great confidence in the leadership at CRBT. This allows me to embrace the next chapter of my life, which is spending more time with my family. I feel blessed that I have been able to do work that I love and with people that I admire.”
CRBT opened in September 2001 and became one of the fastest growing de novo banks in the state of Iowa, reaching $100 million in assets within its first eighteen months. Today, CRBT is $2.6 billion in assets as of Dec. 30, 2024. The bank has 200 employees and has the largest deposit market share in Linn County.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Larry for his visionary leadership at CRBT and within our community,” Patrice Carroll, CRBT Board Chair and President and CEO of ImOn Communications said. “His dream to start a strong community bank with talented individuals will leave a lasting impact in our community. We are extremely grateful for Larry’s many contributions, and I look forward to working with him throughout this transition process.”
Upon Helling’s retirement, Klein will expand his role to President and Chief Executive Officer of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust. Klein has more than 30 years of banking industry experience. He joined CRBT in 2004 and has held a variety of leadership roles including Vice President of Retail to Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. He became President of the bank in 2019.
Klein is a native of Cedar Rapids and serves on the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Policy board and is chair of the Downtown Cedar Rapids SSMID, a special taxing district focused on vibrancy downtown.
Klein is a board member for Catherine McAuley Center. In addition, he serves on the board of trustees for United Way of East Central Iowa, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Theatre Cedar Rapids, and a member of Daybreak Rotary.
“James has built a strong team and is a proven leader,” Helling said in a statement. “I have worked closely with him for more than 20 years and know that he has the ability to connect vision, people, and ideas to drive results. I look forward to watching the bank grow and prosper.”
The transition provides a new chapter for the bank, Carroll said.
“The Board extends its full support and confidence in James as he steps into this pivotal role,” Carroll said in a statement. “James brings a wealth of experience and leadership that aligns with the company goals and values. James is well-equipped to lead us toward a successful and exciting future.”
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