Blog

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

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