“I enjoyed those experiences but know it isn't for me,” he said. “I prefer an environment where I can walk to the office next door and talk to bank ownership.”
Actually, his repertoire of banking skills has always heavily leaned towards the agriculture side of things.
“My very first job at AgStar Financial Services as an analyst involved crunching numbers all day,” he said.
“Then at Eastwood Bank out of Rochester, MN, I had the opportunity to step back from the numbers and be more involved in the relationship management side of the equation. It was a good change for me and I enjoy it.”
By no means does he totally detest the idea of balance sheets and income statements. It’s just that he enjoys building the relationships with customers first and foremost.
“I started in this industry to better understand small business real time,” he said. “Taking a class is one thing, but if you really want to know how it works, you must ask questions, talk to people, and be proactive. I've always had interest in those areas so banking has been a natural progression for me.”
He’s also been very fortunate to work alongside some strong mentor figures. They have had an “enormous” impact on his life and instilled great vigilance for this job.
“Each experience has had its own rewards,” he said. “I've grown from them, and I will always be grateful.”
Small-town banking in general just gets him giddy, in a manner of speaking. In fact, there’s good reason to believe that it will never become humdrum for him.
“Here in New Richland, I believe we can get things done here very efficiently and that efficiency is directly passed onto our customers,” he said. “As an employee, I also just enjoy the environment. With organizations out there that seemingly continue to hire more and more layers of middle management and supervisors, I’ve really started to understand and value simplicity in things.”
Returning to a smaller population size has also truly strengthened his appreciation for life in the smallest of ways.
“I can run to the post office, the bakery, the café, the grocery store, and the hardware store all in one trip and I don't even need to start a vehicle,” he said. “I drive into work with no stoplights, no city line buses, etc., and really enjoy it.”
For him, it's all about perspective and he can’t get enough of it at this point.
“When working in a smaller organization, you have the ability to be exposed to all areas,” he said. “Financial reviews, loan closings, customer appointments, phone calls, etc. are a few of the consistent day-to-day items I find in my specific job.”
The people he encounters on a daily basis add color as well.
“All the customers and residents here are dynamic and make my job fun,” he said.
