Why Bank Local?
Some of our Elkhart business clients were asked “Why do you bank local with First State Bank”. We appreciated what they had to say about the relationships we have formed with them.
Charlie Habic, President – Gillette Generators
” The main reason is that we wanted a personal contact. If there is a problem, we want a resolution quickly. We don’t want to be on hold, wait for a customer service representative, call 1-800 numbers, or send in an email for service. We want a person, a contact, a personal banker. Sheila is the reason we’re First State Bank customers. She handles problems quickly, knows us personally, and is very responsive. We don’t have to wait for 2-hours for a returned email, or phone call. When there is a banking problem, that means there is money in the state of limbo, there is a question, what is going on here. You know the kind of problems that keep you up at night – we want to solve those problems. Sheila is excellent at that, so what brought us to FSB was the hope that we could have a good partner and contact to handle the things that come up over the normal course of business. Thank goodness we knew Sheila. We found our partner, and as far as I’m concerned, we’ll be First State customers as long as we’re in Shelia’s hands.”
Jeanne Kern, Owner – The Vine Restaurant
“I bank local because it’s close, it’s convenient, I can walk there, and I have the best service. I have a staff that all know me by name and treat me well, take care of me courteously, quickly, and provide everything I could ever need as a business owner.”
Steve Rorie, President – JJ Babbitt
“I want my bankers to know me and know my business and I want to know them. The relationship is as important, if not more so than access to the money or the interest rates. And the fact that I know my commercial lender, I know the principals of the bank, they know me, they know my business. It makes everything easier when I have financial needs or when I need business advice or if I need council, they are there for me, I know them, and they know me.”
Rik Kain, President & Matt Kain, Executive Vice President – Poly Electronics
“We bank locally with First State Bank because we share a similar core value of standing with your community. Then you add in the personal attention and understanding of the financial resources needed to touch lives with our products around the world from automation of dairy farms in New Zealand to automated controls for commercial dishwashers in Japan. Without First State Bank standing with us as partners, our team could not have this local and global impact.”