Associated Bank names new Milwaukee market president as John Utz shifts to specialized industries leadership role

Leadership change keeps Milwaukee market role in focus while expanding executive responsibilities

Associated Bank has appointed a new Milwaukee market president, marking a leadership transition as longtime Milwaukee market leader John A. Utz shifts his primary responsibilities to a broader specialized-industries portfolio within the company’s wholesale banking operations.

The change follows a series of executive realignments at the Green Bay-headquartered bank that have reshaped senior responsibilities across commercial, capital markets and commercial real estate functions since late 2024. The moves align with the bank’s stated strategy of strengthening relationship-driven commercial banking in core metropolitan markets while maintaining dedicated local market leadership.

What is changing in Milwaukee—and what is not

Utz has held the Milwaukee market president role since September 2015, a position that formalized his leadership of the bank’s growth efforts in Greater Milwaukee. Over time, his responsibilities expanded across corporate banking and specialized financial services; more recently, he has led specialized industries and capital markets while continuing to serve as Milwaukee market president.

With the new appointment, the Milwaukee market president role transitions to a successor while Utz’s focus centers on specialized industries. Regulatory filings describe his leadership scope in specialized industries as covering sector-focused banking activities and related wholesale risk and credit responsibilities, reflecting a shift toward enterprise-wide lines of business rather than a single geographic market.

Broader executive shifts provide context

The Milwaukee change comes amid a multi-step reorganization of Associated’s executive leadership team. In late 2024, the bank elevated Phillip Trier to lead corporate and commercial banking and appointed Gregory Warsek to a top role overseeing commercial real estate and facilities, with Warsek later assuming the head position for that segment. These adjustments redistributed responsibilities that had previously sat under fewer executive leaders, creating clearer lines between market leadership and product- or industry-based banking segments.

Why market presidents matter in regional banking

Market presidents at regional banks typically serve as the senior local point of accountability for business development, community engagement and relationship banking across consumer and commercial segments. In Milwaukee—one of Associated’s key metropolitan markets—local leadership has been tied to expansion efforts across commercial and middle-market banking, as well as broader brand presence in southeast Wisconsin.

• Utz remains in a senior executive role leading specialized industries following the transition.
• Milwaukee receives a dedicated market president focused on local growth and relationships.
• The leadership change fits a wider executive restructuring spanning commercial banking and commercial real estate.

Associated’s recent leadership changes indicate a continued emphasis on scaling specialized lending and capital markets capabilities while maintaining distinct local-market oversight.

Associated Banc-Corp is publicly traded and operates a Midwest banking franchise with a significant footprint in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, alongside operations in neighboring states.