What does it mean to be family built and community strong? That’s the question Aleesha Webb asked herself as she rejoined Village Bank in 2018. She’d begun her career at the Minnesota bank led by her father, but had taken time to work in other financial institutions. As newly minted president and vice chair, she took stock of the situation and what needed to be tweaked.
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Kathleen Bruegenhemke started her career as an examiner with the FDIC in the midst of the ag crisis of the 1980s, and initially rejected the possibility of a transition into banking. None of the banks she examined in her first year on the job were very profitable, she said. “I didn’t see that as a real enticing industry to go into.” [Continue]
Wyoming Bank & Trust has been one of the state’s top performers for a while, but its stellar credentials don’t only come from its business performance. Cheyenne-based WB&T has harnessed the power of a real estate brokerage to complement its lending portfolio in ag and mortgages. With rates so low, the bank’s mortgage department is humming with activity, while its ag customers have largely done well this year. [Continue]
Marketing in the middle of a global pandemic and the resulting economic turmoil isn’t easy. There’s a fine line to walk between continuing to put your message in front of customers and not seem like you’re trying to profit from dual crises. Use of social media to spread reassurances was a key theme of the earlier stages of the pandemic, with many banks opting to focus on messages of unity and togetherness. [Continue]
Marketing is a particular application of a bank’s overarching brand identity and strategy. If you know who you are, you know what kinds of customers you’ll seek, what kinds of products you’ll offer and what the tone and content of your marketing will be. [Continue]
On Feb. 19, the Illinois Bankers Association announced that Randy Hultgren would be its next president and CEO. Hultgren, who served as a U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 14th congressional district from 2011 to 2019, plunged into the depths of IBA’s coronavirus response, working alongside retiring IBA President and CEO Linda Koch. Hultgren speaks to his unexpectedly eventful first months on the job. [Continue]
As the fourth generation of his family involved in leadership at Peoples Bank, Munster, Ind., Ben Bochnowski knows he has a responsibility to carry on a proud legacy of excellence almost a century deep. A key part of that work has been putting together a stellar team inside Peoples Bank and fostering the development of qualified banking employees in the broader industry. [Continue]
When the first round of funding from the Paycheck Protection Program opened the floodgates in April, Nikki Walker sat with fingers poised over the keyboard, ready to wrestle with the Small Business Administration’s E-Tran portal. Walker put in 16-hour days entering applications during the initial rush, working at the head of a team of six reviewing files after lenders had turned in paperwork. All told, the St. Francis, Minn.-based Village Bank processed 329 applications totaling more than $55 million by the time the initial funds ran out. [Continue]
With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling large gatherings left and right, Bank Iowa wanted to step up and fill the gap during the Easter season. The Des Moines bank had sponsored local egg hunts over the years and decided to take the event digital across its footprint this year. [Continue]
First Farmers Bank & Trust has launched a three-pronged attack against the economic impacts of COVID-19 in its communities. The Converse, Ind.-based bank created a program to connect hog farmers with local food banks, and committed to giving $75,000 for lunches purchased from local restaurants to donate to first responders and medical professionals. [Continue]