2026 West Volusia Citizen of the Year:

A proud native of DeLand, Ben Flowers has dedicated his life and career to strengthening the West Volusia community. Ben joined the DeLand Breakfast Rotary in 1992 and has served as Board Member, Attendance Chair, Treasurer, and President. He is currently Chair of the club’s Wild Game Feast Catfish Fry team. In 2007, Ben volunteered as a Guardian on the inaugural Honor Flight, helping ensure that veterans were honored for their service.

Professional leadership: Ben has served on the Florida Bankers Association Board, the American Bankers Association Board, and as Chair of the Florida Bankers Association Education Foundation. Locally, he played a key role on the committee supporting the 2019 half-cent sales tax initiative that went before voters, demonstrating his commitment to long-term community investment.

Community leadership: Ben has served on the boards of The House Next Door, Sands Theater Center, the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce, the Community Board of Directors for Florida Hospital DeLand, as well as on the Board and Finance Committee of AdventHealth DeLand. He has coached Pop Warner football, served on the Pop Warner Scholarship Committee, and dedicated a year as Captain of the DeLand Quarterback Club. Ben has participated in numerous ME STRONG 5K events and recently took part in a “Paddle Out for Cancer.”

Ben’s impact is deeply felt throughout West Volusia through his leadership at Mainstreet Community Bank of Florida, where he served as President and later CEO. Under his leadership and vision, countless individuals and organizations have benefited from financial support and community partnerships. From youth and high school sports programs to organizations supporting cancer survivors, museums and the arts, hunger relief initiatives, and domestic violence prevention efforts, Ben has consistently championed the “community” in community banking.

For more than four decades, Ben Flowers has given back to the place he calls home. His leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment have helped shape West Volusia and DeLand into a stronger, more compassionate community.