When considering a community banking career, most people would do their research, maybe take a class or two, or talk to a lender or analyst. But cold-calling the head of your local institution? That’s the strategy Kevin Forristall opted for when he was considering a move from Wells Fargo to a smaller bank. He’d found the bigger company a less than ideal fit, but stuck it out for two years learning as much as he could. [Continue]
If there’s a thread that runs through Emily Boardman’s banking career, it’s growth. She left the public accounting field to join Crossroads Bank in Wabash, Ind., because she wanted to bring her growing family back to her hometown. In her 15 years in banking, she has taken opportunities to develop and stretch her skills to fit into ever bigger and different roles. Yet, Boardman isn’t focused only on her own growth. She makes a point of fostering the professional development of others, too. [Continue]
When Bank of Tioga President David Grubb hired Savanna Hendrickson in 2015, he wasn’t necessarily looking for his successor. But over a half-dozen years, Hendrickson has proven herself through a willingness to tackle — and conquer — new challenges. Hendrickson, who’s been president of the $331 million North Dakota bank since the beginning of this year, is one of eight bankers recognized by BankBeat as a 2022 “Rising Star in Banking.” [Continue]
Rich Eckert wasn’t planning to be a community banker. Only seven years ago, Eckert had no banking experience. His unexpected entry came through “a little bit of dumb luck,” said the 35-year-old president and CEO of the west-central Illinois Beardstown Savings Bank. The former college faculty member was leaving small-town Wisconsin and moving to where his wife was from as they started their family. From former president/CEO Travis Schroll, Eckert learned of an opening at what is now a $73 million bank. He started as a loan officer. [Continue]
As both a hiker and a banker, Lynn Rhodes is conditioned to navigate rocky terrain. After 15 years in banking, Rhodes has navigated the ups and the downs of the industry while working at a number of banks, including one that failed. Rhodes is now on steady ground as executive vice president of risk management at Flagship Bank Minnesota, Wayzata. [Continue]
Efficiency, consistency and autonomy. For Isaac Flenner, director of equipment finance and small business lending at St. Cloud, Minn.-based Stearns Bank, those three nouns are the key components of both good customer service and a positive internal culture. Flenner, who has developed this approach over the last 17 years at Stearns Bank, is being recognized by BankBeat as a 2022 “Rising Star in Banking.” [Continue]
When First Resource Bank celebrated crossing the $300 million asset mark last year, President Aaron Siegle gave each employee $300. The money came with a condition: Half had to be spent on the employees’ families and half had to go to a cause, whether a formal nonprofit or simply a neighbor in need. The success of the Lino Lakes, Minn., bank was built on the success of its people and its community, and the fruits of that success should be shared. [Continue]
In life cash is king but in commercial lending it is cash flow that rules. Bankers interested in helping commercial customers improve their cash positions, therefore, may want to take a fresh look at those companies’ merchant services, says Marnie Ochs-Raleigh, CEO of Evolve Payment. Her suggestion is not without precedent. [Continue]
Banks have always had a lot of data to wrangle. Core processors handle transactions by the millions. Loan applicants have their data compared to underwriting standards. Banks reach outside of their walls to obtain credit scores or verify a customer’s identity. Yet the need for data — complex data — is growing. [Continue]
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the need for third parties and non-core vendors to connect to the core has skyrocketed. Speed is also essential: Bankers can’t wait months to years for a core vendor to add a new feature or for a core to make an integration with a fintech possible. It also raised the question: Is a single, primary product still the way of the future? [Continue]