Bank CEOs say the rural Midwest economy is improving even as they continue to feel the impact of higher farm input prices and regulations, according to Creighton University’s January Rural Mainstreet Index report. The RMI increased from 50.1 in December to 53.8 this month, the second straight month that the reading has been above the … Read more
Clara City, Minn.-based Citizens Alliance Bank is acquiring Butte, Mont.-based Granite Mountain Bank. The acquisition includes Granite Mountain branches in Philipsburg and Drummond, Mont. Citizens Alliance already has three Montana branches, in Great Falls, Seeley Lake and Lincoln. A press release states that the merger will allow Granite Mountain Bank customers to have direct access … Read more
Fargo, N.D.-based Gate City Bank will mark its centennial next month by donating $100,000 to a charity as part of the Giving Hearts Day community giving initiative. Founded 15 years ago, Giving Hearts Day is a 24-hour event for charities in both North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Since 2014, the $3.2 billion Gate City Bank … Read more
Consumer sentiment is slowly improving but remains below the historical average, according to the University of Michigan’s January Surveys of Consumers report. [Continue]
Customers are prioritizing convenience and ease-of-use in choosing payment options, according to a survey from Primax. [Continue]
Lincoln, Neb.-based West Gate Bank elected Chad Tettenborn to senior vice president of commercial lending. Tettenborn joined the bank in August 2020. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, and an MBA from Creighton University, Omaha. “Tettenborn will continue to develop relationships in the Omaha market to assist commercial … Read more
Iron Mountain, Mich.-based First National Bank & Trust promoted Dale Cook to vice president, senior commercial lender, and Cole Grenier to assistant vice president, commercial lender. Cook has been with First National since 2019 and has been in banking for more than 20 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lake Superior … Read more
Jim Hartlieb was named president and CEO of Madison, Wis.-based First Business Bank. Hartlieb, who was also appointed as a director of the bank’s board, joined First Business in 2009 as senior vice president and has been president since 2015. The $2.8 billion bank announced several other promotions in a Jan. 3 press release, including: … Read more
New London, Wis.-based First State Bank named Matthew Lemke as president. Lemke, who is expected to be elected to the $529 million bank’s board of directors later this month, succeeds Bob Van Asten as he nears his March 31 retirement. Lemke started his banking career in 2004 as a personal banker at JPMorgan Chase in … Read more
Merrillville, Ind.-based Centier Bank appointed Chris Campbell to bank president. Campbell replaces Michael Schrage, who had served as president of the $6.2 billion since 1977. Schrage, who had succeeded his father, Walter Schrage, Jr., as president, is expected to keep his CEO and board chair positions. Campbell, who is married to Michael Schrage’s oldest daughter, … Read more