DeYoung retires after 30 years at Crews Bank. Louke named successor.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla., June 24, 2026 — After more than four decades in banking, including more than 30 years with Crews Bank & Trust, longtime leader Craig DeYoung is retiring, closing a career defined by growth, adaptability and deep community ties. On July 1, Kelly Louke, who has been with the bank for 28 years, will succeed him in the role.

Bank leadership says DeYoung’s influence will continue to shape the organization long after his retirement. “Craig DeYoung’s leadership has left a lasting mark on the bank and the communities it serves,” stated Chief Banking Officer M.W. “Larry” McLaren IV. “He consistently reflected the organization’s values through his integrity, stewardship and commitment to service. His example will continue to influence the bank well into the future. At the same time, I am confident in Kelly Louke as DeYoung’s successor. Her deep institutional knowledge, strong community ties and proven ability to build relationships and develop talent make her the right person to carry that legacy forward.”

A Charlotte County native and graduate of Charlotte High School, DeYoung’s path to banking was anything but conventional. After graduation in 1980, he spent years working in a lumber yard and for a cabinet company before pursuing a career indoors.

“I applied for my first banking position after hearing about it from a teacher,” DeYoung said. “Working in an office sounded like a great deal after working in the Florida heat.”

Even so, his first day in banking left a lasting impression. “I remember being completely intimidated and wondering if I was really going to be able to learn everything I needed to know,” he said.

That early uncertainty gave way to a career spanning more than 40 years, including 14 years at two local financial institutions before he joined Charlotte State Bank & Trust, a legacy bank of Crews Bank & Trust, in 1994 as a commercial real estate lender. He advanced to executive vice president and chief lending officer and was named president in 2006. In his most recent role, he served as market area president for Southwest Florida under Crews Bank & Trust.

During his tenure, DeYoung helped guide significant expansion across the region. He oversaw the opening of a full-service branch in North Port in 2017, along with a satellite office at South Port Square in Port Charlotte and a loan production office in Lee County. He also championed enhancements in products and services, including the development of a home-based, locally staffed trust and wealth division.

His career also reflects a period of sweeping change in banking, from fax machines and manual processes to digital platforms and mobile access.

“When I started, we thought the fax machine was going to change everything,” he said. “Now, we hardly use it at all.”

He recalled a time when checks were physically transported (sometimes by helicopter) for processing, and when bank employees manually sorted and stored paper records for monthly statements. Today, those processes are handled electronically in seconds.

For all of that change, DeYoung said the heart of banking has remained constant.

“In spite of all the changes to technology, equipment and communication, one thing has remained the same,” he said. “That is helping customers — whether it’s growing a business, planning for retirement or buying a first home. That’s what has made this such a rewarding career.”

Adaptability, he said, has been his greatest professional achievement.

“Understanding the need to change and adapt to the ever-changing world we live in has allowed me to deliver banking services to generations,” he said.

He also pointed to moments of crisis as defining chapters in his career, including the aftermath of Hurricane Charley in 2004 and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

“Those were some of the darkest times for our community,” he said. “But I saw coworkers—some who had lost their homes—return within days to help customers get back on their feet. I have never experienced prouder moments as a banker.”

Beyond the bank, DeYoung has been a constant presence in the community. A graduate of Leadership Charlotte, he has been a member of the Kiwanis Club for nearly four decades, earning the Kiwanis President’s Award in 2012 and the International Legion of Honor Award in 2016. He also served as president of the Kiwanis Foundation of Charlotte County and remains active with the Port Charlotte Sunrise Kiwanis.

Throughout his career, he has remained committed to service, supporting local organizations focused on education, health and wellness, the arts and community development.

As he enters retirement, DeYoung leaves behind a career defined not only by growth and innovation, but also by relationships, resilience and a deep commitment to the community he has long called home.

That same relationship-focused approach will continue under Louke, a familiar leader within the organization. She joined the bank in 1998 as a personal banker and steadily advanced through a series of leadership roles, serving as assistant branch manager, branch manager of the Murdock branch, vice president, residential lender and retail banking officer at the North Port branch, and most recently, Regional Retail Administrator.

A Fort Myers native and graduate of Riverdale High School, Louke began her banking career in 1995 after working in retail and insurance, where she gained a practical, customer-first approach to service.

Like DeYoung, Louke has built strong ties throughout the community. A graduate of Leadership Charlotte Class of 2008, she has served on the board of Drug Free Charlotte County, as an ambassador for the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, on the United Way Impact Panel, and as vice chair of the Charlotte County Chapter of the American Red Cross. She is also a past president of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce. She currently serves on the board of Charlotte County Firefighters for Kids.

“I’m honored to step into the role of President for the Charlotte County market and build on the strong foundation Craig has helped create,” Louke said. “This bank has always been about relationships, service and supporting the communities we call home, and I look forward to continuing that work alongside an incredible team.”

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