Hartland bank customer
appreciation day September 14
New building constructed in less than one year
By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
“We’re very proud of the deep connection we have with the communities where our branches are located,” comments Arcadian Bank president Mark Heinemann. “So, while there was a short-term thought exercise about not rebuilding after the tornado, it was followed by a quick decision that reopening the branch fit much better with our culture.”
He’s speaking, of course, of the historic bank building in Hartland which was destroyed by the unusual, even freak, tornado that swept through the town in December of 2021.
The oldest part of the brick structure was first erected in 1912; an addition which essentially doubled the building’s size was added in 1996. When first built, the business was the Farmers State Bank and was local only to Hartland. According to Heinemann, a branch in Freeborn was added in 1999; another in Albert Lea joined the company in 2004. In 2021, the company decided to change the name of its banks: a market study had shown that there were 72 financial institutions using the moniker.
“There was a time,” Heinemann mentions, “when a company’s market area was the distance someone could comfortably ride on a horse. Back then, overlap wasn’t really a problem.” But with three branches spanning three communities, the company decided to look for a more unique name, and Arcadian Bank was born.
After the 2021 tornado, Heinemann says, the company would have saved its iconic first location if it had been feasible. Extensive structural analyses determined, however, that even the bricks of the building had been twisted and rendered unsalvageable.
“So, although we were saddened by the loss of the historic building, we really felt we had no choice but to tear the whole thing down and start from a new beginning,” comments Heinemann. The razing took place in September of 2022, leaving no time yet that year to begin construction; work began this spring.
Now nearing completion, the bank is holding a customer appreciation celebration on September 14 and, according to Heinemann, will open for daily business shortly thereafter.
The new structure allows the bank to offer features–including a drive-up window and indoor ATM machine–which simply would not have been possible in the historic building.
As the long-awaited reopening approaches, Heinemann expresses his gratitude to the bank’s customers who chose to continue with the company despite having to adapt their ways of interacting with their accounts. Some chose to commute to the bank’s branches in Freeborn and Albert Lea; some increased their use of electronic banking techniques; many did both.
The two long standing employees from the Hartland branch consented to work at the other locations during the two-year wait.
“Our customers adapted, we adapted. Perhaps we all learned something in the process.
“Now we’re intensely grateful for this new beginning. We have a lot to celebrate.”
Heinemann mentions his gratitude to Arcadian Bank's internal project manager, Brandon Brackey. Throughout this year’s construction, Heinemann says, Brackey has made repeated trips to Hartland to respond to questions or requests from construction workers. “It’s impossible to count all the decisions that have to be made during a project like this one,” says Heinemann. “Without Brandon’s persistence, the project would not be advancing as smoothly as it has been.”
The president also comments on the excellent work provided by Accord Architecture and Henkel Construction, both out of Mason City. “They provided us with meticulous service,” says Heinemann. “And they were very willing to accommodate our request to find contractors local to the Hartland area. Given our connection to the community, that was a very high priority for us.”