Independent Banker - December 2022 - 46

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MIDWEST BANK:
WHERE FAMILY ALWAYS COMES FIRST
BY BRIDGET MCCREA
t Midwest Bank, employees have
management's full support and
are even encouraged to take time
away from work and prioritize family
functions. This is one of several
reasons why the $990 million-asset
community bank in Norfolk, Neb.,
has very low employee turnover and
whose staff has made it one of the best
community banks to work for.
" Family is always fi rst, " says Sue
Bachman, senior vice president and
human resources manager for the
150-employee, 10-branch bank. " If
Jimmy has his fi rst baseball game on
a Thursday, we want you to be there
A
for him. " That family time doesn't
come out of employees' vacation
or sick time, either; it's simply paid
time off .
One big family
According to Amy Schroeter, vice
president and HR for Midwest
Bank, the community bank's family
focus extends outside of business
hours. The bank's events usually
include an invitation for the entire
family. And when a spouse or
partner walks through the bank's
front door, they're treated like
family, too.
Midwest Bank
Norfolk, Neb.
Assets: $990 million
midwestbank.com
Create a good culture and protect it
" Don't be afraid to have fun, " says Amy Schroeter, vice
president and HR at Midwest Bank in Norfolk, Neb. " We get
our work done, but we also play Capture the Flag, run contests among
the branches and have pumpkin decorating contests in the fall. "
Sue Bachman, senior vice president and human resource manager,
advises other banks to build a good culture and then work to protect
it across the entire institution-even if branches are spread out
geographically. " We do all kinds of things to build unity, " she says.
The community bank hosts an annual holiday party for all associates
and their spouses, for instance, and celebrates Breast Cancer
Awareness Month as a team.
Doug Johnson, president and CEO, is involved with the bank's
day-to-day operations and its people, which has helped Midwest
Bank develop and protect its corporate culture. " He cares about the
employees, visits with them and listens to them, " says Bachman. " At a
lot of companies, associates may never meet and/or see their CEOs.
We have one who's very present and involved at all times. "
" Their families become our
families, " says Schroeter.
A privately owned community
bank, Midwest Bank has been in the
hands of the Cooper family since it
was founded 70 years ago. Over the
years, four generations of Coopers
have stayed true to their philosophy
of working together to operate as a
good employer, provide a fair return
to shareholders and give something
back to the communities the bank
serves.
Hire them well, treat them well
Doug Johnson, president and CEO,
says Midwest Bank has always
focused on hiring good people,
knowing that banking skills can be
learned. Then, it works hard to treat
those people well by supporting
them both in and out of work.
" There have been many times
when employees' families have
had health issues or needs and
both ownership and management
stepped up and took extraordinary
steps to take care of them, " Johnson
42 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q December 2022
http://www.midwestbank.com
Independent Banker - December 2022

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