Keep your money in your community! How do you know if your deposits are truly funding loans in your community? A couple simple questions: Where is your financial institution headquartered? Goggle the bank’s name and headquarters for a quick answer. Where does the president live? In the community or in another state? Call and check it… Continue reading
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What do the Summer Solstice Full Moon and 1967 Have in Common?
It’s been nearly 50 years since we’ve experienced a Summer Solstice Full Moon! And since 1967, the banking industry has seen cycles like we’ve never seen before and changes that continue to challenge us! That is why having meaningful conversations with our customers today – whether in the lobby, on the phone, via email and… Continue reading
Sales Training — The 5 Step Process Wins!
Most of us who have been in sales for a while, love to talk about it! And if it’s our passion, we want to tell the world about it! What I find interesting, is that we all have a little different perception of what the sales process is today. You can go to any business… Continue reading
It’s Time to Truly Commit to a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Community Bankers! Last year I spent many hours facilitating Sales and Business Development meetings, coaching Branch Managers and Commercial Lenders, and training bank employees how to have a more positive, productive, trustworthy conversation with their customers — and in the end, it’s about happiness! People want to work with people who have… Continue reading
It’s All About Generation C!
Greater Lansing Business Monthly Bonnie Knutson, PhD The School of Hospitality Business Broad College of Business Michigan State University There are ten of us in our immediate family – me, my husband, our two daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren, who range from age 9 to 20. When we all get together at the “up north cottage,”… Continue reading
Communities will Pay…
Community banks were not a part of the original discussion on the Durbin interchange amendment. Further, in preparing its draft rule the Fed only surveyed about 130 of the largest banks in the country. Not a single community banker was asked to provide any input on a set of price controls that would unquestionably harm… Continue reading
Share the Difference!
Tell a friend about your local community bank! milocalbank.org
Do You Know Where Your Bank is Headquartered?
Most of you who know me…know I have a passion for community banking. It’s my livelihood…I live and breathe it…I believe in it. We have all heard the stories of how community banks have built our communities…our community banks are the “gems” in our communities that have given us the opportunities to buy our homes,… Continue reading
Community Bank Advocate
As a community bank advocate…I am confused (upset) by the campaign Comerica Bank is running in all of our Michigan papers and trade journals that they are committed to Michigan. Why did they relocate to Dallas and leave Detroit in 2007 if they are committed to Michigan?
What is the Definition of a Community Bank?
We used to consider any bank under $1 billion in assets a “community bank.” But I think the true definition of a “community bank” today is any bank “headquartered” in our local communities. These are the banks that are truly supporting our communities. These are the banks that have been here for us giving back to our… Continue reading