Independent Banker - July 2017 - 18

With Interest
Happy employees-Michael
Solberg with colleagues Laine Brantner (l)
and Julie Peterson Klein (r).
TVs-to employees at its Christmas
parties. But this program, which
is aligned with Bell's mission
statement of " Happy employees,
happy customers, " triggered a sense
of empowerment and compassion
among the bank's workforce. By
being entrusted to make donations
of the bank's shareholder money,
employees had the power to help
anyone in need and positively influence
the overall strength and health
of their community.
Since then, the bank has observed
its Pay It Forward program every
year in varying degrees. Last year,
when Bell Bank celebrated its
50th anniversary, every employee
received a $5,000 bonus with the
understanding that they must donate
half of it. Another year, the bank
double-dipped by giving employees
another $1,000 to give to local
vendors or customers so they could
donate it to their favorite charity.
Also, every year employees receive an
extra day off and a $500 gift card to
spend on friends and family.
These donations have touched
practically every corner of every
community that Bell Bank serves. The
program has helped local nonprofits
meet payroll and churches purchase
beds, and it's provided cars for single
moms at the local YWCA shelter to
drive to and from work or drop their
kids off at school.
" I was shocked to hear how many
kids in our community slept on a pile
of dirty clothes at night, " says Solberg,
adding that recipients don't pay taxes
on any donation. " There were these
grandparents who were raising their
three grandchildren in a two-bedroom
apartment without one bed in
the whole place. After the beds were
delivered and set up, the grandparents
and employees were crying while
the kids jumped on the beds. "
Over the next nine or 10 years,
18 ICBA IndependentBanker July 2017
he believes total giving will reach
$20 million.
Meanwhile, Bell Bank is planning
its next Christmas party at Scheels
Arena in Fargo, N.D., and has hired
the country-rock band Alabama
to celebrate the program in style.
Solberg hopes the party will attract
at least 3,000 people, including
employees who work in its Minnesota
branches.
Boomerang effect
The Pay It Forward program may
appear counterintuitive to banks
driven by earnings, profits and ratios,
but Solberg says Bell Bank has experienced
record-setting earnings and
growth for 10 consecutive years.
" While it's hard to pencil it out,
it pays us back many times over, "
he says. " Culturally, this is one
of the healthiest decisions we've
ever made. "
The privately owned bank, which

Independent Banker - July 2017

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Table of Contents
Independent Banker - July 2017 - Intro
Independent Banker - July 2017 - Cover1
Independent Banker - July 2017 - Cover2
Independent Banker - July 2017 - Table of Contents
Independent Banker - July 2017 - 2
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