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Citizens National Bank (CNB) has named Kathi Amstutz as AVP/Branch Operations Coordinator. She replaces Margaret Thompson who recently retired. In this role Kathi works with the offices and operations department to bridge communication and make workflows easier for the customers and employees. Amy Yochum, VP Operations, states, “The level of experience and knowledge of operations Kathi brought to the bank made it an easy transition. I’m excited to see how Kathi will increase efficiencies through her new role.”

Kathi has dedicated 25 years to the banking industry, beginning as a teller and taking on new roles through the years. “I believe this position is what I have been training for. I’ve had guidance and leadership from some amazing coworkers, supervisors and mentors and now I’m able to apply that to my role in training, making our employees more confident so they’re prepared to serve our customers.”

Kathi believes in community involvement and is currently the Treasurer for the Putnam County Cancer Assistance Program, Treasurer for the Pandora-Gilboa School Boosters, Secretary for the Challenged Champions Equestrian Center Board, President for the ADAMS Board of Putnam County, and a member of the Pandora-Gilboa School Board. She resides outside of Gilboa with her husband, Ryan, on their family farm. She has two children, Mikaylie and Brennen. She’s excited to be part of the Bluffton community and looks forward to enhancing the customer experience people expect from CNB.

By Jami Koziel, RRT, CPFT
Pulmonary Services, Blanchard Valley Health System

Asthma is a heterogeneous respiratory disease–meaning it presents in many different ways–that affects an estimated 25 million Americans, with six million being children. The financial cost of asthma exceeds $81 billion every year and despite all the resources invested, asthma is responsible for over 3,500 deaths annually in the United States. The prevalence of asthma is proven to be higher among individuals of low socioeconomic status than among those with higher socioeconomic status. 

Generally, there has been a lack of priority in the effects and differences in asthma prevalence among populations as well as the response to therapies among racial and ethnic minorities. To illustrate, African American patients respond differently to corticosteroids in contrast with White patients. One study suggests Hispanic and non-Hispanic White children exhibit better responses to increasing therapy with Long-Acting Beta Agonist (LABA), rather than higher doses of Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS), whereas African American children were less likely to respond to adding leukotriene receptor antagonists, and more likely to respond to increasing dosing of ICS.