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Hooray Fall 2015 Newsletter

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  • InsIde:Brian P. Short ............................. 2Managers Meeting ...................... 4Austin Update ............................ 6Brownsdale Update ..................... 6Cannon Falls Update ................... 6Fairmont Update ......................... 8Goodhue Update ........................ 8Grand Meadow Update ............... 9Le Sueur Update ........................10Luverne Update ......................... 11Pipestone Update ....................... 12Red Wing Update ......................13Stewartville Update ....................14White Rock Update ....................15Admiral Merchants Update .........16Benson Parking Update ............... 17Calhoun Towers Update ..............18St. Paul Flight Center .................18Wellness ....................................19 Eagle Awards............................ 20News ........................................22

    Hooray!FALL 2015

    S H O R T C O M P A N I E S

    (continued on page 4)

    Brett Elford2015 Eagle of the Year

    Brian Short, Faye and Brett ElfordBrett Elford, President of First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Red Wing, was named the 2015 Eagle of the Year at the 25th Annual Short Companies Managers Meeting on July 31, 2015.

    The Eagle of the Year is our Manager of the Year someone who is committed to the company, our customers and to the community; someone who builds and works with a team to more effectively deliver service to our customers.

    Brett joins a group of 25 past Eagles of the Year, all of whom were recognized for their contributions to their customers and employer, for their managerial skills, and for their dedication. Seventeen of those 25 individuals are working in our organization today, continuing to contribute to our success.

    Brett is a professional banking leader and a proven community leader. He served the employees and customers of White Rock Bank before we acquired it during some very trying times.

    Since the acquisition of the White Rock Bank and its conversion to a First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Brett has completed the building of a great team in that bank, leading that team to great success. A couple of numbers prove the point. In January of 2013, loans at the branch were $22 million. By June

  • asked me to speak about Dales life in business. I will reminisce with you a little about Dale the Community Banker.

    Dale was the consummate Community Banker. Whether it was his relationships with customers, his employees or his bosses, pride and professionalism, a quiet but obvious competence were evident in everything he did.

    Dales life did not fit into three separate silos. The Dale Madison I knew was every bit as committed a Christian on Wednesday as he was on Sunday. He was a decades long member of the Christian Mens Business Committee in Austin and that work made him a better community banker. Dales faith was not separate from his work. I would say that Dales faith was obvious in his work. The Dale Madison I knew was committed to Shirley and their children and grandchildren every waking moment of his life. A week ago today, I was fortunate enough to spend a little time with Dale at his new home in Austin. I asked him how he liked his apartment. His only response? Shirley likes it.

    I first met Dale about 22 years ago and I dont think I will ever meet another man like him. The first business conversation I had with him was almost exactly the same as the last one. In both conversations, he reminded me to be there for our customers. That was the secret of Dales success as a community banker. For Dale, his

    customers were also often his friends. Last Monday when I met with Dale for the last time, I reminded him of our conversation back in 1993. My company had just acquired the bank in Brownsdale from Rollie and Woody Danielson. Five years earlier, I had purchased a bank in Luverne from what was then called First Bank System one of the countrys largest banks. First Bank had lost millions of dollars at the bank in Luverne following the agricultural crisis of the 1980s by writing off loans made to agricultural producers in that area. When bankers say something like that writing off loans the phrase glosses over the financial wrecks caused hundreds of individuals by that process; that phrase hides the fact that in that process the hopes and dreams of hundreds of people are lost. After we bought the Brownsdale bank, I introduced myself to Dale. I asked him how much money his bank had lost during the ag financial crisis of the 1980s. He simply smiled at me and said, None. We work with our customers to solve their problems. Last Monday, I reminded Dale of that meeting. I seized the opportunity to tell him something which he knew that the lesson I learned from him in 1993 is, today, one of the hallmarks of the First Farmers &Merchants Banks.

    2

    Dale C. MadisonConsummate Community Banker, Christian and Family ManOctober 20, 1932 July 16, 2015

    Brian P. ShortDale Madison, former president of First Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Brownsdale, passed away on July 16, 2015.

    I had the privilege of being able to visit with Dale and his wife Shirley at their home on July 13, and to speak at his funeral a week later on July 20. Here are the comments from my eulogy.

    Shirley, I can only imagine the challenges you face today, even though you have prepared for it. The last words you said to me last Monday as I was leaving your home were, God is good. You said it with conviction; you said it with sincerity. I know you believe that as strongly today as you did in 1952 when you and Dale started on this remarkable journey together. Others will talk this afternoon about Dales legacies, with his family, with his church and with the community. [Dales son] Roger

  • 3We work with our customers. We work with our customers as Dale Madison taught us to do.

    We also learned from Dale Madison how to do that. Last year, we nominated Dale for recognition as a Pioneer Banker, the recognition by the Minnesota Bankers Association for those who have worked in banking in Minnesota for 50 years. In working on the nomination, I discussed Dales career with Don Peterson, Dales colleague at First Farmers & Merchants in Brownsdale and its predecessors for over 35 years. Don said Dale practiced the craft of Community Banking by always being open to everyone. If anyone

    in the community rich or poor had financial issues, Dale was there to lend a helping hand, if help was possible. If it was not possible, he was there to listen, to offer words of comfort.

    Dale worked in banking from the time when money was put in a customers account based on an oral request and a handshake to the time when it takes an hour to open a deposit account. All of us know which period he liked better. Dales era as a community banker started when there were two grocery stores, a meat locker, two gas stations and a pool hall in Brownsdale. I never knew about the pool hall I would have liked to have talked to Dale

    about that. However, because of Dale and those who have followed in his footsteps, the Brownsdale community thrives today.

    Dale had a couple of other visitors a few weeks before he passed away Austins Mayor, Tom Stiehm, and Finance Director Tom Danker, who presented Dale with a key to the City of Austin another very fitting recognition of Dales work. Dale volunteered with the Mower County Housing Authority and the Austin/Mower County Committee for Home Ownership, where he helped people who were buying homes get loans through a down payment assistance program.

    Dales legacy lives on in his family, his friends and the institutions he shaped. First Farmers is a better organization because of the lessons Dale taught us, and that has benefitted thousands of individuals, most of whom never met Dale Madison. The challenge to all of us here, and the challenge to those of us who have the privilege of carrying on Dales work, is to make sure that can be said, every day, from this day forward.

    Brian P. Short In Memoriam

    Stephen Craig WardDecember 23, 1947 May 20, 2015Steve Ward passed away on May 20, 2015, just over two years after being diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Steve and his company, Upward Bound Design and Construction, worked with the Short Companies on numerous projects over the years. A Celebration of Life was held on August 1, 2015. Larry and Mary Weisgram, Dave and Jill Lessard, and Nancy Novack were able to attend. It was very apparent from the speakers and performances at the celebration that Steves life was indeed a life well lived. Our sympathy goes out to his family, including his wife Joanie and daughters Tristana and Leia.

  • 4Eagle of the Year/Managers Meeting

    (continued on page 5)

    EAGLE OF THE YEAR(continued from page 1)of this year, loans had grown to $30 million. Deposits in January of 2013 were a little over $31 million. By June of 2015, they had grown to $37.2 million. Net income at the end of June had increased over the prior years six months by over 50% to $234,000.

    Brett would be the first to admit that he doesnt do it alone. He has built a great team in Red Wing. He gets kidded a lot by his coworkers who say, We should just skip asking Brett and go right to [Business Banking Officer] Julie [Eckstrom].

    However, that is the sign of a good leader. Brett has empowered the other officers in the bank and lets them shine. He leads one of the strongest lending teams in our organization.

    Prior to our acquisition of the White Rock Bank, it was a troubled organization. It was operating under severe regulatory limitations and its survival was questioned. Brett was the president of the bank at the time, having been cast in that role when one of his predecessors, who had presided over the downfall of the bank, was moved to other duties. Brett held the team together, kept the regulators at bay, and assured customers. If it wasnt for the work of Brett and his colleagues, First Farmers & Merchants would not have been interested in acquiring the bank. Because we recognized the jewel that was there, the jewel that was nurtured by Brett and his coworkers, the acquisition made sense to us.

    Brett has also been very active in the community. He has served for many years on the board of the YMCA in Red Wing, one of that communitys premier social service organizations. He is also on the Harbor Commission in Red Wing. (That probably explains the need for his big boat.) Brett is very active in the Chamber of Commerce. First Farmers & Merchants, Red Wing was recently named Service Business of the Year in Red Wing, and last year we saw Bretts colleague Julie Eckstrom voted Professional Woman of the Year.

    Brett supports our many customer service initiatives, such as Customer Service Week, and participates in the MBA Bank Day at the Capitol. In July of last year he was recognized for 10 years of service to the bank, along with five other members of his team.

    Brian presented Brett with an Eagle trophy and a cash award. In addition, a donation in Bretts name has been made to St. Josephs Home for Children in Minneapolis.

    Congratulations, Brett, and thanks for all you do!

    (adapted from remarks by Brian P. Short on July 31, 2015)

    25th AnnualManagersMeetingThe 25th Annual Short Companies Managers Meeting was held on Friday, July 31, 2015, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. As part of his welcome, Brian introduced three new managers who were attending their first Managers Meeting:

    Mary Benson, Head of Internal Audit, FF&M Banks

    Megan Erickson, Permit Manager, Admiral Merchants

    Kenneth Lehner, Payroll Office Administrator, Leamington Co.

    He also introduced other guests, including a number of accountants, attorneys, bankers and other professionals who work with the Short Companies. Finally, employees who were recognized previously this year for achieving years of service milestones were also invited to attend the Managers Meeting.

    After an invocation by Fr. Pat McCorkell and dinner, the evenings program began with a talk by Brian Pfarr, Vice President and Ag Loan Officer at First Farmers & Merchants, Le Sueur, entitled, Leadership at the Strategic Level. Brian has served in the Minnesota National Guard for over 25 years and was recently promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel (see page 11 in this newsletter). He spent the 2014-15 academic year

  • 5Managers Meeting

    MANAGERS MEETING(continued from page 4)

    Brian Pfarr

    FF&M Austin has some creative people working here!

    Brian and Jeff

    at the US Army War College at the Bush School at Texas A&M. The purpose of the Army War College is to produce graduates who are skilled critical thinkers and complex problem solvers. Brian has served the National Guard, the people of Minnesota, and the people of the United States in many ways during his career in the military. He is also very committed to his customers at the bank. He is a highly thought of agricultural lender whose advice and counsel is sought by clients at all times. His leadership and dedication earned him the Eagle of the Year Award in 2008.

    Brian Short then took a few minutes to comment on our business results from last year. He began by saying, I am proud of the way our customer service teams have responded to both the opportunities we have been presented and the challenges we have faced. I continue to believe that, at every level in this organization, we are well led and our customer service teams are staffed with people who are dedicated to our customers, both internal customers and external customers.

    After sharing some specifics of the results of the various companies, he concluded with the following: We were successful in all of our business operations last year because of the commitment and dedication of every member of the customer service teams. I said in my article in the last issue of Hooray! that our only enduring competitive advantage is customer service. And the only way we deliver customer service is through you and the people you work with. We continue to Drive Excellence at Admiral Merchants. The results of the First Farmers & Merchants Banks last year were the envy of the industry. Obviously, 2015 is a challenging year for all of us. Weve talked about that, we focus on that, and we continue to try to overcome it. However, I want to thank everybody in this room and every member of your teams. Working together, we have achieved success. Working together, we can continue to achieve success. Thanks for the great results last year.

    [Editors note: As this issue of Hooray! is being printed and distributed, we are celebrating Customer Service Week at all of our locations. This is an opportunity to both recognize and improve our service to our customers.]

    Brian then recognized those employees who had achieved years of service milestones. Those awards had been presented during the year as

    Brian visited the various locations. However, the Robert E. Short Service Award, given to teammates who have achieved 20 or more years of service to our customers, was presented to two individuals at the meeting: Jeff Starzecki, who works in Line Service at the St. Paul Flight Center, and Babe Nelson, Customer Service Representative at FF&M White Rock. Mary Mann in the FF&M Cannon Falls Operations Center also received this award but was unable to attend the Managers Meeting, so she had previously been given her award in Cannon Falls. Congratulations to Jeff, Babe and Mary!

    The evening concluded with the presentation of the 2015 Eagle of the Year Award. Brett Elford, President of FF&M Red Wing, was this years recipient (see cover story). Congratulations, Brett!

    Submitted by: Nancy Novack, Executive Assistant

    Brian and Babe

    Keith Maetzold, Mary Mann, Brian and Greg Wulf

  • 6Updates

    (continued on page 7)

    First Farmers & Merchants

    BrownsdaleUpdate

    First Farmers & Merchants

    AustinUpdateCindy Jensen, Vice President, organized the Kiwanis Club of Austin Early Risers 40th anniversary celebration on August 26, 2015. In attendance were three charter members from 1975. Mayor Tom Stiehm declared it The Kiwanis Club of Austin Early Risers Week. Darryl Meyer, Past Lt. Governor, spoke on the mission of Kiwanis and its origin. Charter members shared their memories of Kiwanis.

    The car club Dick and Sandy Kos, CSR, belong to held a car show in August to raise funds for the Veterans here in Mower County. There were 131 cars showing and $4,000.00 was raised that will go towards the cost of getting Veterans names on the pavers at the Veterans Memorial Park in Austin.

    Steve Drennan, President/CEO, competed in the Des Moines Triathlon over Labor Day weekend.

    Faye Haugen, Vice President, welcomed grandson Cullen Samuel Haugen to the family. Born on September 18 at 10:11 p.m., Cullen weighed 7 lbs. 11 ounces and was 20 inches long.

    Submitted by: Sherrie Carlson, Customer Service Representative

    Amy Johnson, Lead Teller, and her husband Chad took part in a 5K walk to raise money for the Alzheimers Association.

    The banks annual picnic was held on Sunday, September 13. After a catered dinner from Hy-Vee, the rest of the afternoon was spent visiting and watching the kids play on the new park play equipment.

    Dale Larson, President, Kevin Welter, Vice President, and Faye Haugen, Vice President, took part in the program Kids on the Farm. The 3rd graders from the Austin public schools were invited to a local farm and were shown how the farm works, from milking a cow to picking chicken eggs. Thanks, Dale, Faye and Kevin, for taking the time to show our young people the importance of farmers!

    Submitted by: Sherrie Carlson, Customer Service RepresentativeFirst Farmers & Merchants

    Cannon FallsUpdateLets rewind the calendar to Cannon Falls in July

    Golf TourneyFF&M sponsored a charitable golf tournament that brought out 31 teams! The Cannon Falls Education Foundation was the benefactor of

    the event, receiving about $8,400. We had support from FF&M Le Sueur, Red Wing, White Rock, Grand Meadow, Stewartville, Goodhue and Cannon Falls. The CFEF takes care of the operations for the day as their way of saying Thank You to FF&M for their generosity.

    On Your MarkGet Set.FF&M in Cannon Falls sponsored a hometown Bears baseball game which featured the First Farmers & Merchants FIRST EVER MASCOT RACE! It was a steamy night, but Coach Meyers said it was the best turnout of the entire season. We handed out ice cold FF&M bottled water and T-shirts and also gave out an extra trinket if people liked our Facebook page that night! We had five participants who were selected from the crowd

    Tom Obele, Laura Qualey, Keith Maetzold and Brian Pfarr

  • 7Updates

    CANNON FALLS UPDATE(continued from page 6)for the Mascot Race: The Grinch, Easter Bunny, Maxine the Hallmark Shoebox Card lady, the CF Bear, and Windchill (the mascot of Cabin Fever Days in CF).

    National Night Out/Night to UniteCannon Falls had over a dozen parties in August in observance of National Night Out. FF&M provided bottled water wrapped in our labels that were delivered by the Cannon Falls Police Department. It was a beautiful night and people got out of their houses to mingle with the police officers, EMS and Fire Department of Cannon Falls.

    Teaching Kids to SaveKris Bodette, Head Teller/CSR, had a gentleman bring his grandchildren into the bank to give them a tour of the bank and also let them watch as she used the coin counter and magically turned their coins into cash! Tim Coss, a customer, had asked about bringing in his coin to be counted. It was important to him that his grandchildren be involved and he asked if they would be able to see and learn what the process was to count the coin. Tim, his daughter and grandchildren came in and we went through the process. They had all made a guess as to how much was in the container. Kris showed them how the coin is counted and ran the coin they had brought in through the coin counter. They got to see how the machine worked and where the coin went (into the coin bags) as it went through the slots. They each got a copy of the recap ticket that showed how much and how many pieces of each coin was

    in the container. She also discussed the process of what happens to the coin after its counted, wrapping the coin.

    Kris also gave them a handout about the Road to Your Financial Future, instructions on how to make an origami money man, and a FF&M piggy bank. Tim was so grateful and found the process very interesting himself. Tim had said he had no idea how the process worked and was amazed how detailed it was.

    Its a BOY..and a GIRL!Congratulations to Luke Cooreman, Commercial Lender, and his wife Katie as they welcomed a set of twins into their

    lives on August 14! Adelyn Jo (4.10 lbs; 17.5 inches) and Brooks Marcus (4.5 lbs; 18 inches) join their big brother Grayson (2) at home. The twins were a few weeks early, but are now home and doing great!

    Weve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!Its been a long-standing tradition that before the Homecoming Bomber game in Cannon Falls the employees of the hometown newspaper, the Cannon Falls Beacon, and the team at the downtown FF&M Bank toss the football across the street. This year, Ashley Trageser and Shelby Sachs, both Information Systems Assistants, Traci Holt, Operations, and John Wegmann, Ag Lender, participated in the tradition. Nice form, Ashley!

    Submitted by: Laura Qualey, Director of Marketing

  • 8Updates

    (continued on page 9)

    First Farmers & Merchants

    FairmontUpdateRyan Noll and Dustin Meyer joined us again this summer, sharing drive-up teller duties. They are now back at school; Ryan is a junior at the U and Dustin is a senior at FHS. We wish them both a good year.

    The 150th Martin County Fair was held August 17-23. Headlining the entertainment this year were Cassidy Pope, Dan and Shay, and Grand Funk Railroad. New this year was a Ranch Rodeo. A local favorite event is the Blue Ribbon Pork Cook-off, where area restaurants and caterers prepare a pork dish for attendees to sample and vote for Peoples Choice and Connoisseurs Choice awards. Commercial Banking Officer Adam Smith spent a few evenings working at the Lions Club ring toss game during the week. VP/Agricultural Loan Officer Dan Hilgendorf attended the 4-H Blue Ribbon Auction.

    On September 13 several bank employees and family members attended the Lincoln Strong 5K walk, which was a fund raiser for a local 10-year old who has cancer. There were over 500 people in attendance for the walk and carnival that was held and funds in excess of $10,000 were raised. The family is donating a portion of the proceeds to Make A Wish Foundation, Childrens Hospital for childrens cancer research, and the Ronald McDonald House. Teller Sara Becker-Sokoloski was

    on the planning committee for the event.

    Eric Noll, son of President Andy and Brenda Noll, was named to the 2015 Homecoming Court at the University of Minnesota. Eric, who is a senior at the U, is studying genetics, cell biology and development, as well as pharmacology. On campus he is involved in Colleges Against Cancer and serves as the president of the student group that plans Relay for Life each April. He has been a Welcome Week Leader at the U and spends his free time volunteering at the Hope Lodge on campus, for the American Cancer Society, and advocating for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in honor of his mom, a breast cancer survivor. Congratulations, Eric!

    It has just been announced that Papa Murphys Pizza is coming to Fairmont at the site of the previous BP gas station. Demolition has also begun for a new strip mall that will be the home of a yogurt shop, coffee shop, and offices where the graffiti barn was along South State Street, and another office complex is being built across the street from that site that previously housed Pizza Hut and a car wash. United Hospital District of Blue Earth has announced the purchase of a building in Fairmont and plans

    to open a medical clinic here. Carpet Plus is holding a Grand Opening in September for their newly opened store in Fairmont.

    School is back in session and Fall is here. Our area farmers are in the fields and busy with harvest. We wish everyone a safe harvest season!

    Submitted by: Joan Meyer, Personal Banking Officer

    First Farmers & Merchants

    GoodhueUpdateWell, the calendar says its fall around herebut the weather begs to differ! Around here when we go from summer to winter in a matter of a few short weeks, well take this warm weather as long as we can!

    Its been pretty quiet around here since the last Hooray! came out in early July. Weve all taken some kind of vacation and taken advantage of the nice summer weather. Summer just kind of slid by quietly and easilyand thats OK! Sometimes its nice to just enjoy each day without having too much to do. But then our slow summer quickly turned to fall and with that comes all sorts of activities! The farmers are in the fields and school activities are back in full swing.

    Here at the bank, we will again be helping out at various times in the concession stand for school sporting events and rallying behind our student/customer athletes.

  • 9GOODHUE UPDATE(continued from page 8)

    (continued on page 10)

    Updates

    Holly Roschen and Mary Majerus

    This week is Homecoming here in Goodhue and we are very proud to say that everyone on the Homecoming court is a customer!! Cass Ramthun, daughter of Lara, Teller, was among those candidates. The crowned King and Queen were Laura Ringeisen, daughter of Rob and Shelly Ringeisen, and Wilson Jonas, son of Mike and Lyn Jonas.

    It may seem like we dont have much to report this quarter, but believe me, we will make up for it next quarterstay tuned for all the fun, busy stuff that goes along with the school year and the holidays!

    New businesses in a town our size dont come along very oftenbut one just opened up across from the bank a few weeks ago. Its not so much a money making business as it is a social gathering site. Owners and First Farmers customers, Pete and Regina Poncelet, bought the old building, where Goodhue State Bank started out across the street. They have been remodeling it all summer long and it has been restored to show how beautiful the 100+ year old building really is! They have made the downstairs into a gathering place of sorts for the townspeople to come, hang out, visit, use the free WiFi, drink coffee or bring in their own treats. The coffee is always on and used on a free-will donation basis. So

    far, from our windows across the street we see anybody from school kids using it to do homework after school, to business people getting away to eat their lunch, to the seniors getting together for coffee and friendship. As of right now we have the Country Station, also owned by the Poncelets, and a bar to provide gathering places. The Poncelets decided our town needed a third place for us to goso thats what they named itThe Third Place.

    We do have three bank anniversaries to report. Mary Majerus, CSR, and Holly Roschen, Teller, are both celebrating 29 years! They have been here since it was Goodhue State Bank, then on to White Rock Bank, and now they continue on with First Farmers & Merchants. They have both seen many changes over the years. The change that stands out in Marys mind the most is how technology has evolved over the years. She remembers

    writing everything down in a book when customers came in and made deposits and withdrawals! Holly agrees that technology is a big change, but another one is going through changes in ownership of the bank. While they both agree none of these things are badthey are still changes and take some getting used to.

    Although Lara Ramthun has not been here nearly as long, having been here 11 years in August, she has also seen many changes in her career.

    Submitted by: Lara Ramthun, TellerFirst Farmers & Merchants

    Grand MeadowUpdateFall is coming and the harvest season has begun. Farmers are in the fields and crops are coming out. We wish all the farmers a safe and bountiful harvest.

    Wed like to welcome Vicki Holz to the First Farmers & Merchants family as a Charter

  • 10

    Updates

    GRAND MEADOWUPDATE(continued from page 9)

    (continued on page 11)

    Vicki Holz

    Teller/CSR. Vicki has previously worked at Think Mutual for over 15 years and her knowledge and peppy personality are more than contagious. She is married to husband Rusty and they have one child, Trevor, age 4. Vicki enjoys camping, fishing and spending time with family. Welcome, Vicki!

    Also welcome to Tabitha Hoffman, also a Charter Teller/CSR. Tabitha previously worked at Bremer and brings a lot of knowledge to the

    table. Tabitha is married to John and has three children. She enjoys camping and spending time with family. Welcome, Tabitha!

    Our annual Customer Appreciation event was in August and it was a huge success. We served good grub from Scott Hurleys Parties Made Simple. Brian Short was on hand wearing a dandy FF&M Hawaiian shirt. Where can I get one of those? He was able to spend a lot of time chatting with customers and hopefully got to sample some of the goodies. Thanks, Brian! Kathy Gehling won Twins tickets and it was a hot day so the root beer floats were a huge hit.

    Wed like to congratulate Kathy Nagel, Vice President and Assistant Branch Manager of the Grand Meadow location, on her new grandbaby. Layne Garrett was born on September 19, 2015.

    We are looking forward to Customer Service Week. We are ramping up for Everyday Heroes promoting the great customer service our customers deserve. Perhaps Wonder Woman will pay us a visit!!!

    We hosted a Meet & Greet open house in Racine this month. The event provided an opportunity for our clients to formally meet the new Assistant Branch Manager, Kelly Wytaske. We took the opportunity to introduce additional

    services which are now offered at the location and to ask the question, What more can the bank do for you and the community of Racine?

    Our annual teacher appreciation luncheon was held at the Grand Meadow School in September. We provided lunch for all the teachers and support personnel at the school. Just our way of saying, Thanks for everything you do for our kids!

    As always, we at FF&M State Bank of Grand Meadow wish you all a very good fall.

    Submitted by: Kelly Wytaske, Customer Service Representative and Assistant Branch Manager, Racine

    Tabitha Hoffman

    First Farmers & Merchants

    Le SueurUpdateDo you remember what you were doing on the beautiful evening of July 15? It was our Customer Appreciation Picnic and we were serving our hungry customers (420+) the fabulous pork burgers that were grilled by our Grill Masters, Tom Obele, VP/Mortgage Loan Officer, and Brian Pfarr, VP/Ag and Commercial Loan Officer, assisted by Keith Maetzold, President, and Terry Mattson, Loan Officer. Meanwhile, the ladies were serving up the burgers, chips, cookies and ice cream.

  • 11

    Updates

    (continued on page 12)

    LE SUEUR UPDATE(continued from page 10)

    Brian Short, Tom Obele, Brian Pfarr, Keith Maetzold and

    Greg Wulf

    Thrivent Financial treated us to a pizza party for donating June and Julys jean money ($5.00 to wear jeans on Friday) to Habitat for Humanity. Also, the jean money for August went to our local librarys fund, Friends of the Library. These funds are used for fun activities at the library. The staff has donated $1,455.00 so far this year to five different local organizations!

    The first weekend in August is Le Sueurs annual Giant Celebration. Many of the staff were out and about for all the different activities during the weekend music, kickball tourney, softball tourney, bingo, food vendors, fireworks, parade, Miss Le Sueur coronation and much more. Tom Obele is the MC for the coronation. The last weekend of August is Pioneer Power. If you are interested in tractors, watching thrashers, milling logs in a saw mill and a whole lot more, this is the place to be! The Le Sueur Lions have a food booth and Lions Terry Mattson and Brian Pfarr worked on Saturday.

    The Bank sponsored the Hole in One contest at the annual Blue & Gold Golf Tournament that raises funds for our schools athletic

    program. Some of the men golfed and the rest of the staff were the officials to verify if anyone shot a hole in one. We also handed out bottles of water and can koozies to all the golfers.

    Submitted by: Sue Kahle, Accountant

    Brian Pfarr, Vice President and Ag Loan Officer, FF&M Le Sueur, and Deputy Commander, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division of the US Army National Guard, was promoted from Lt. Colonel to Colonel on October 2, 2015. The promotion ceremony took place at Traxlers Hunting Preserve in Le Center, Minnesota. Congratulations, Brian!

    Brian PfarrPromotion to Colonel

    First Farmers & Merchants

    LuverneUpdateLuverne hosted its annual Hot Dog Night and the bank participated by serving hot dogs as we do each and every July. This year we decided to change up our Hot Dog menu by adding chili so customers enjoyed Chili Dogs along with the usual condiments. They were a hit!

    This evening included a Weiner Dog Beauty Contest, races, and a Wienerman Triathlon. The Rock County fair was also held in July with very mild temperatures for fair attendees.

    Years of Service Awards were presented when Brian was in Luverne on July 20 for the Advisory Board meeting. LaDonna VanAartsen (Operations) was recognized for 35 years of service as of December 31, 2014. Also recognized were Tara Zewiske (Auditor, 15 years), Cindy Kunkel (Credit Analyst, 25 years), Mike Schacht (Loan Officer, 10 years) and Ryan Wynia (Loan Officer, 5 years, not pictured).

    Mike Engesser, Tara Zewiske, Brian, Cindy Kunkel and

    Mike Schacht

    LaDonna VanAartsen andMike Engesser

    Keith Maetzold, Brian Pfarr and Tom Obele

  • The 26th Annual Watertower Festival was held the final weekend in June and was themed Salute to the Troops. As FF&M has done in the past, the bank featured the Watertower button designer on its float entry. This years button designer was Alex Wilson. Art classes from the high school submit entries in the spring and the community votes on the winning design at the annual Home Show

    12

    Updates

    (continued on page 13)Alex Wilson, Kelsey Weinkauf

    and Tabby Meza

    Ryan Wynia, Kim Lueck, Lois Leuthold and

    LaDonna VanAartsen

    LUVERNE UPDATE(continued from page 11)Congratulations and thanks very much for your dedicated service to the bank!

    We held our 8th annual Customer Appreciation Night on Monday, August 10. We served 600 customers a meal of pulled pork sandwiches, baby red potatoes, watermelon and ice cream for dessert. We have inflatables for the kids and a money booth for all lucky ones who have their names drawn for a chance to catch the flying dollars. We give each family a gift; this year it was a choice of a selfie stick or an ice cream spade. We had drawings throughout the night for cash. Our customers enjoy bringing their families for a free supper and a night of fun.

    Employees got together to play a best ball golf tournament for fun in August. The winning team, from left to right, was Ryan Wynia, Kim Lueck (Investment Center), Lois Leuthold (Teller), and LaDonna VanAartsen.

    The bank sponsored a hole and participated in the Rock County

    Kids Golf Scrambler in August. This tournament is a fund raiser for the local kids programs. The team representing the bank included Cliff Boom (Loan Officer), Tara Zewiske and Mike Schacht.

    The 64th Annual Band Festival was held in Luverne on Saturday, September 26 for all marching band fans to enjoy. Maryln VanGrootheest (CSR) is a committee member for this event.

    Submitted by: Tara Zewiske, Auditor, and Elaine Hansen, Data CenterFirst Farmers & Merchants

    PipestoneUpdate

    held in March. The students design then is cast in button form and the commemorative buttons are sold as a fund raiser for the Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the festival. The bank also sponsored the Slayton Community Band in the parade. Pictured are the button designer, Alex Wilson, Kelsey Weinkauf, Teller, and Tabby Meza, Teller.

    Jim Torkelson, league golf partner of Dale Roemmich, President, got a hole in one on a par 3, 145 yard hole, during league play on August 25. Jim was using a First Farmers & Merchants logoed golf ball to make his shot of a lifetime.

    The staff in Pipestone has taken up the charge of keeping our country beautiful by participating in the Adopt-A-Highway project. The bank will be responsible for cleaning a two-mile section of ditch twice a year. Led by project

  • 13

    Updates

    PIPESTONE UPDATE(continued from page 12)

    Whitney Norberg

    (continued on page 14)

    Tom Obele

    captain Brooke Legler, Customer Service Representative, a team of seven employees donned yellow vests and garbage bags to get the job done on a warm September afternoon. Along with Brooke, the team consisted of Tim Paulson, Vice President, Mike Hansen, Vice President, Mindy Johnson, Loan Assistant, Dawn Carson, Loan Assistant, Vicki Quist, Vice President, and Natalie Sorenson, Teller. After a few hours the ditches were spotless and ready for the winter.

    The annual battle for bragging rights between the Luverne Cardinals and the Pipestone Arrows commenced under Friday night lights on September 18 with Pipestone once again emerging victorious. In

    keeping with tradition, the Luverne staff has already made payment in regards to the ongoing bet between offices and has sent a large bag of candy bars to the winner. The traditional rivalry is called the Battle Ax game. Pictured is Cole Paulson, son of Tim Paulson, with Austin Moeller holding the beloved trophy.

    Whitney Norberg, Teller, joined the staff on August 25 as a part-time Teller. Whitney enjoys traveling to band competitions in the fall and is a drum major. Welcome, Whitney!

    Submitted by: Linda Erickson, Customer Service Representative

    First Farmers & Merchants

    Red WingUpdateThe Red Wing branch had a wonderful summer! Many fun community events in town this season! One of those events was held at our location our annual Red Wing Area Chamber of

    Commerce Business after Hours networking event! On July 14 we hosted around 75 chamber members and special guests, Brian and Kathleen Short! Brian and President Brett Elford talked about the importance of community involvement and introduced the Red Wing employees. President Paul Drackley from the White Rock location was here to talk about the 100 years of banking in White Rock celebration. Here is a group picture!

    We had some fun at the annual Red Wing Chamber Golf Tournament on August 27. This years theme

    Lisa MacRae and Colleen Phillips

  • 14

    Updates

    RED WING UPDATE(continued from page 13)

    (continued on page 15)Wylie Wilson, Dawn Gast

    and Dick Gorman

    Tracy Gadient, Nancy Falk,Dave Muelken and Brett Elford

    was Swingin in the Wild, Wild West. Over 400 businesses were involved in the event! FF&M sponsored Hole #3 which included an old western shoot out game with water guns, fabulous prizes and CSR Lisa MacRae and Head Teller Colleen Phillips in costume! We came in 2nd place for Best Hole Sponsor.

    We also had a Super Fun foursome team that included FF&M Goodhue President Paul Althoff, Business Banking Officer Julie Eckstrom, Credit Analyst Missy Anderson and President Brett Elford.

    Our Advisory Board met on board Wylie Wilsons boat on September 28. Brian Short and

    Dawn Gast were in attendance. Here are a couple of photos.

    Last but not least, at the 25th Annual Short Companies Managers Meeting on July 31, held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Short Companies Eagle of the Year was announced: FF&M Red Wing President Brett Elford! Congratulations, Brett, from the entire Red Wing team!

    Submitted by: Lisa MacRae, Customer Service Representative

    First Farmers & Merchants

    StewartvilleUpdateSTAFF CHANGESWith regret we announce Shari Davidsons last day at First Farmers & Merchants, Stewartville, was August 28. We enjoyed working with her since she began her employment with us in March, appreciated her hard work and dedication, and wish her well in her future endeavors.

    DOG DAYS OF SUMMER CUSTOMER APPRECIATIONOur annual Dog Days of Summer was a complete success! The community appreciation event was held in conjunction with other 20th Street NE merchants including Fareway, Bobcat of Rochester,

    Advanced Body Chiropractic, Family Dental, Anytime Fitness and Riverview Greens. Merchants set up in their parking lots with grills and canopies and offer differently prepared hot dogs with a variety of sides. We always anticipate hot weather and sunshine during this event and we were blessed with a beautiful day for our outdoor activity. Our customers and area residents enjoyed walking between the merchants to sample a wide variety of dogs and other great food. Music was provided by a DJ, a bouncy house was available for the kids, the weather was perfect, and it was great spending time visiting with staff and attendees from around the area.

    CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEKWhere did the summer go? We are

  • 15

    Updates

    STEWARTVILLE UPDATE(continued from page 14)

    (continued on page 16)

    all anticipating the fun of Customer Service Week its already October! Our Loan Administrative Assistant, Stephanie Lawson, has been busy coordinating and planning for the theme, decorations, prizes and all the activities we look forward to during the week.

    BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTSDicia and Todd Kappers, along with big sister Olivia, proudly announce the birth of Corbin Michal! Corbin was born at 3:30 a.m. on September 24, 2015, weighing 5 lbs. 12 oz. and 18 inches long. Congratulations to all of them!

    Have a great fall season!

    Submitted by: Jan Cowan, Teller

    First Farmers & Merchants

    White RockUpdateI was just looking at some of the pictures we had from the Goodhue County Historical Society portraying life in the mid 1900s when this bank came into being. It is amazing the amount of change that can happen in a mere century. It makes you wonder what life will be like in just a quarter century from now the way things are moving in the technology field, which affects just about everything we do. I feel fortunate to be entering the tail end of my working career, and only wish the young ones will continue to have the opportunities to work together with the customers and

    not be completely automated. That might seem far-fetched, but hey, they are talking about driverless cars????????

    Back to the present we were delighted with the way everything came together to have a wonderful celebration of the 100th year of the banking business in White Rock. It was a warm, sunny day with a slight breeze to alleviate any discomfort from heat or bugs. There were an estimated 250 customers who came out to enjoy the food, music, tractor parade and just reconnecting with long-time friends, reminiscing the days when they would come to the bank in White Rock and carry out their business while connecting with neighbors and getting the latest market prices or the latest news of the area. We had about 37 tractors in the parade and heading it all up was 99 year old Earl Nelson, a life-long customer of the bank riding in Dan Ryans 1915 Model T Ford. The music was supplied by Dave Carpenter and Leonard McCracken, also long-time customers. As our motto states, You can have a good time in White Rock; we think everyone did. [Editors note: I certainly did! I attended with my husband and two of our granddaughters. Great food, great music, tractor parade was fun! We even got to see the White Rock which gave the area its name, courtesy of Calvin Ryan and the golf cart he was shuttling people around in.)

    July marked the beginning of this branch being closed on Saturdays. We have not had too many complaints, other than from the other branches that now have picked up some of our Saturday regulars and are finding out what kind of customer service those customers were used to here in White Rock.

    It has been pretty quiet here in the village, so it is a good time to get more jobs which had been put off for a time to be taken care of. Vacation time is being used up as the summer draws down and the days are getting shorter by around three minutes a day. We are getting our plans together for the 2nd annual pumpkin decorating contest that is coming up real soon.

    On July 31, my husband and I were guests at the 25th Annual Short Companies Managers Meeting along with several other guests from the many varied branches of the Short Companies, who were there to be recognized for their years of service and of course the Eagle

  • 16

    Updates

    WHITE ROCK UPDATE(continued from page 15)

    (continued on page 17)

    Brian and Babe

    of the Year Award. This years Eagle Award went to Brett Elford, President of the Red Wing office of FF&M. Congratulations, Brett! I received the Robert E. Short Service Award in appreciation for the 25 years Ive worked in White Rock as a Customer Service Representative. It was a very enjoyable evening, meeting other members of the Short Companies and experiencing the Minneapolis Institute of Art exhibits before the wonderful dinner we were served.

    We have been noticing the combines coming out of storage and the changing hues on the fields, so harvest time is just on the cusp of bursting into full bloom. It is going to be a good year, at least yield wise, by the looks of things right now. More rain in the forecast however, so ??????? Thats the life of a farmer, always questionable.

    Hope you can find an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch to explore and enjoy your fall season. Submitted by: Babe Nelson, Customer Service Representative

    Admiral Merchants UpdateIt has been a busy summer for Admiral Merchants. Brian Short and members of the Admiral team were able to take time away from the office to visit some of our agent partners. The team traveled to Bakersfield, CA to present the plaque recognizing M&M Trucking and its owner Jim McGowen and its office manager Olivia McGowen as a Tom Seitz Million Dollar Agent at the Platinum level. Jim, Olivia and their colleagues at M&M have been one of our top agents for a number of years and Admirals No. 1 agent in 2014.

    It was a valuable experience being in the field visiting the McGowens and other agents because it allowed us to get answers to the following question: What can Admiral do to help grow your business? We took their feedback seriously and are continuing our focus on recruiting trucks, working on automation in the permit department, offering insurance options, helping drivers know their operating cost, and working on better coordination of freight between the Minneapolis office, agents and drivers.

    In addition to agent visits, we also held our Annual Driver Appreciation BBQ in London, OH, where we had about 75 customers attend. We hold one or two Appreciation BBQs each year to thank our business partners and provide a venue for networking. The BBQs are a great way to communicate with our customers in person about what is going on at Admiral, as well as the overall trucking industry. One of our drivers, Mark Suver (5588), and his daughter Ricki helped with the cooking. We may need to put Mark on staff as everyone loved the food they were cooking up.

    Olivia, Brian and Jim

    Brian with Olivia and Jim McGowen and the entire team

    from M&M Trucking Mark Suver cooking at the BBQ

  • 17

    Updates

    (continued on page 18)

    ADMIRAL MERCHANTSUPDATE(continued from page 16)

    Lots of great BBQ being eaten

    In addition to visiting our customers and eating a lot of BBQ, we also had a few staff changes within the office; we had one employee retire, two employees transfer to new departments, and we welcomed three new employees to the Admiral team.

    Congratulations to Debbie Taylor who retired from Admiral after 12 years of service. We can rest assured that her future plans include travel and a lot of golf.

    Theresa Dougan joined the Admiral team as our newest Broker in June. She came to us with over 15 years of transportation/brokerage experience.

    Dave Stedman is now working as a Broker after working in the Freight Coordinator department for a year. His 20 plus years of transportation service will serve him well in his new role.

    Snapshot of a few of the gorgeous Admiral trucks that were parked at

    the BBQ Missy Swenson was promoted to Freight Coordinator after working at the front desk for the past year and a half. She made great connections with the drivers in her previous role that will make her a great addition to the Operations team.

    Paul Hinrichs just joined the team last month as our new Director of Safety. His background includes approximately 30 years of transportation experience in both the Safety and Operations arenas.

    Claire Gregory just joined Admiral as our new receptionist. She is currently a full-time student in pursuit of a Business Management degree and has previous reception experience.

    Submitted by: Jim Bemis, CFO, and Augusta Kirk, HR Director

    Debbie Taylor retiring

    BensonParking UpdateBenson Parking is looking GOOD! Our roaming photographers took these photos recently. When youre out walking or running to get your F.E.D. minutes, be sure to take a look at the Benson block for yourself.

    Jim Tuttle took this photo of the plantings along 10th Street. This planting project was done by the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID), and it really looks great! This was one of only two projects that the DID did as part of its Greener initiative:

    Beautiful, well maintained greening elements soften the edges of our downtown, making it feel more human in scale, promoting way-finding, and connecting the many highlights and neighborhoods of our city. With the goal of every block green in 20 years, DID looks for opportunities to advocate for greening at the policy level, provide sustainable greening in the public right of way, and encourage greening on private properties.

    The DID is hoping the two projects they did will inspire downtown

  • 18

    Updates

    (continued on page 19)

    BENSON PARKINGUPDATE(continued from page 17)property owners to do other greening projects.

    Brian Short liked the look of these motorcycles parked in the Benson lot and took this photo. But the building behind the motorcycles is also worth taking a look at. Formerly owned by the League of Catholic Women, the building has recently been painted and refreshed by its new owner, who also

    added a planter along 9th Street, photographed by Doug Swanson.

    Submitted by: Al Schroeder, Manager, and Nancy Novack, Executive Assistant

    Calhoun Towers UpdateWhile May and June were extremely active months for Calhoun Towers in terms of resident moves, July, August, and September were exceptionally quiet. To date we are 100% full until at least February 2016.

    For building projects, we did a lot of the exterior work from painting the garage to some landscaping and remodeling the front groundwork of the building. With the long warm summer this year the grounds looked especially good, and our landscaper, Matt Melanson, did an exceptional job of creating an artistic look around the fountain and sides of the building. We also remodeled the garage entry and removed all the old bikes that used to clutter it up. Now the entry looks clean and bright.

    We are looking for a quiet and prosperous end to the last few months of 2015.

    Submitted by: Steve Ocvirek, Manager

    St. Paul Flight Center UpdateThe completion of a three-year replacement of the Highway 52 Lafayette Bridge project is nearing the finish line as this edition of the Hooray! goes to press. While this may not sound like a company newsletter worthy item, this is huge news for us at the St. Paul Flight Center. Coupled with many other road projects this past year in downtown St. Paul, it has been very difficult to navigate in and out of the airport. The new bridge is a $20 million improvement and will serve as the main artery for our customers to access the airport for years to come.

    The Flight Center welcomes a new employee, Mike Schmelpfenig, Line Service. Mike started on July 21, 2015. He had five years of line service experience with Signature and Elliot Aviation. Mike covers the weekend line service and has already proved to be a terrific asset for the Flight Center.

    On July 16, Brian presented Years of Service Awards to Janine Moe, Customer Service Manager (15 years), and Pete Brostrom, Line Service (25 years). In addition, as noted on page 5 of this newsletter, Jeff Starzecki, Line Service, received the Robert E. Short

  • 19

    Wellness

    (continued on page 20)

    ST. PAUL FLIGHTCENTER UPDATE(continued from page 18)Service Award at the 25th Annual Short Companies Managers Meeting on July 31, in recognition of his 20+ years of service at the Flight Center. Congratulations, Janine, Pete and Jeff!

    Submitted by: Dave Lessard, Manager

    F.E.D.: Tracking the NumbersTarget Corporation recently handed out 335,000 Fitbits to their employees as part of their corporate wellness program. Employees who opt into the program will be divided into teams with monthly competitions. The team that wins will get to choose a charity that will receive up to $1 million.

    So why the big push for employees to wear a wearable sensor such as Fitbit, Nike FuelBand, Jawbone UP, Apple Watch or a tracking device on a smart phone? According to USA News Health, a 2009 study found that those given a pedometer increased their daily step count by 36 percent in 12 weeks, which was enough to significantly lower their blood pressure.

    I have to admit, Im one of those who has jumped on the fitness tracker bandwagon. My husband bought me one for Valentines Day (dont worry..it was my gift suggestion). I had a few friends who had received them at Christmas and I figured it would be fun to join in on challenging each other on steps. And I will agree with the studies, I do get more steps in than before I had the tracker. I am now always aware of how many steps I personally have and how far I need to go to reach the daily goal of 10,000. And that cant be a bad thing.

    Seeing the weekly averages of the people I am connected to is also motivating. For example, I received the following message on August 14 from Brian Pfarr at FF&M Le Sueur: It looks like someone made a big jump in the

    standings today. Keep it up. Im sitting in meetings at Camp Riley so I wont get much in today. Basically, Brian Pfarr is always way ahead of me when it comes to daily steps and he saw me creeping up on his numbers due to the fact I was running Ragnar that weekend. He still managed to outstep me that weekend so he must have found time to walk or run during his non-class time. It seems that no matter what I do, he still has more steps than me. I think it is his personal goal! Ive even accused him of putting his Fitbit on his dog as Im running every single day and he is still beating me. Here is a snapshot from my Fitbit app last night. My two friends in spots 1 and 2 are both training for a marathon. And look who is at #3 and #4. Thats right

    Dave Lessard, Pete Brostrom, Janine Moe and Brian

    Brian and Jeff Starzecki

  • 20

    Eagle Awards

    (continued on page 21)Missy Swenson

    Eagle AwardsAdmiral Merchants

    Missy SwensonReceptionist/Freight CoordinatorSubmitted by: Admiral Team

    We are happy to announce that Missy Swenson is Admirals Eagle for the 3rd quarter.

    Missy joined Admiral in April 2014 as our new receptionist after our long-time receptionist retired. The transition was seamless! Our customers immediately responded well to Missy and sensed her honest appreciation of their work.

    It has become Missys goal to bring drivers in to meet the office staff so they feel a connection to the company. She began regularly submitting her own article, featuring drivers who have stopped by the office, for Admirals quarterly publication, Ships Log, and sending personal notes to the drivers after they stopped by to thank them for visiting.

    Missy also found ways to save money by using an envelope that is a half inch smaller. The size difference is minimal in regards to the items we are mailing, but saves us approximately 50 cents per envelope. That really adds up when you consider how much mail is sent out each day.

    Missys positive attitude and enthusiasm for the business is contagious, insomuch that after just a year and a half, she was recently promoted to freight coordinator working more closely with the drivers.

    Congratulations, Missy!

    FF&M Fairmont

    Lori EdwardsVice President-OperationsSubmitted by: Tami Whitman, Teller, and Andy Noll, President

    Lori is the standard when it comes to leading by example and she has a great work ethic. She is very prompt in completing her duties and getting back to employees who are looking for help. She is always there for those she supervises, answering questions from customer issues to computer issues. She also challenges us and supports us in solving problems; rather than making you feel like you dont know anything, she makes you feel like you can do anything.

    Lori understands what makes her staff tick and approaches each team member differently as needed. She is the sounding board for issues without compromising anyones position or trust in her. As the banks HR person, she handles many issues that require trust

    Lori Edwards

    Brian Pfarr is still beating me and I put in 17,000 steps yesterday!

    So if you have toyed around with the idea of a fitness tracker, what could it hurt? Who knows, maybe youll get one like FF&M Austin President Steve Drennan did this past Christmas with the challenge from his granddaughter and suddenly you are participating in triathlons!

    Hope your challenge of Fitness Every Day is being achieved.

    Submitted by: Augusta Kirk, HR Director

    F.E.D.: TRACKING THE NUMBERS(continued from page 19)

  • 21

    Eagle Awards

    (continued from page 20)EAGLE AWARDS

    Dawn Carson

    Thanks to Doug Swanson for submitting this interesting photo. Who can tell me where it was taken?

    Submit your answers to [email protected]

    and confidentiality. She provides coaching and mentoring to staff to get through difficult situations and assists employees with professional development.

    She is firm when needed, but approachable and supportive at the same time. Her calm approach helps keep the work environment stress free. As an employee Lori supervises, I have a lot of respect for her and confidence in her. She is very deserving of the Eagle Award.

    FF&M Pipestone

    Dawn CarsonLoan AssistantSubmitted by: Dale Roemmich, President

    Dawn Carson is a Loan Assistant at First Farmers & Merchants, Pipestone, working in that position for the past seven years. Dawn is a front line staff person

    greeting customers when they enter the lobby and also is a part of the phone team. Dawn also works specifically with our loan customers, gathering insurance information, preparing loan documents, obtaining signatures, originating loan advances as requested, and many other day to day tasks. Our customers have commented many times that they appreciate the friendly greeting they receive and the professional detail to the work that Dawn does. It is one of the many reasons they enjoy doing business with First Farmers.

    In addition to her loan responsibilities, Dawn also

    tracks the monthly reporting for the Federal Home Loan Bank borrowing base. We were very pleased when we were audited in the past year that there were a minimum of exceptions that were identified.

    Dawn recently identified a scam that could have cost a local business thousands of dollars due to fraudulent e-mails. I always appreciate hearing from our customers regarding the terrific work that our employees do and this one was no exception. Congratulations, Dawn!

  • 22

    News

    EAGLE AWARDS(continued from page 21) FF&M AUSTINFaye Haugen welcomed grandson

    Cullen Samuel Haugen to the family. Born on September 18 at 10:11 p.m., Cullen weighed 7 lbs. 11 ounces and was 20 inches long.

    FF&M CANNON FALLSCongratulations to Luke Cooreman and his wife Katie as they welcomed a set of twins into their lives on August 14! Adelyn Jo (4.10 lbs; 17.5 inches) and Brooks Marcus (4.5 lbs; 18 inches) join their big brother Grayson (2) at home.

    FF&M GRAND MEADOWCongratulations to Kathy Nagel on the birth of her new grandbaby, Layne Garrett, on September 19.

    FF&M LE SUEURAvis Jacobus 8th grandchild, Gweneth, was born on September 10. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 19 inches long.

    FF&M LUVERNEBonnie Shelton proudly announces the birth of a grandson. Evan Scott was born August 15 and weighed 8 lbs. 4 oz. Congratulations, Bonnie and Dave!

    Maryln VanGrootheest proudly announces the birth of her first granddaughter. Kallista Lynn was born August 5 and weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz. Congratulations, Maryln and Mike!

    BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTSFF&M STEWARTVILLEDicia and Todd Kappers, along with big sister Olivia, proudly announce the birth of Corbin Michal. Corbin was born at 3:30 a.m. on September 24, weighing 5 lbs. 12 oz. and 18 inches long. Congratulations to all of them!

    FF&M PIPESTONERhonda and Morgan Smith are proud to announce the birth of their third grandchild. Morgan Kathleen Devries was born September 2 and weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. The parents are Clint and Melissa Devries.

    Darlene and Ray Gonnerman are proud to announce the birth of their fourth grandchild. Katherine (Kate) Ann was born May 17, and weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 19 long. The parents are Andrew and Jenny Gonnerman.

  • 23

    News

    ANNIVERSARIES NEW EMPLOYEES

    WEDDINGS

    ADMIRAL MERCHANTS

    Patty Bostrom 29 yearsKim Nelson 18 yearsJim Bemis 14 yearsKaren McNamara 14 yearsAugusta Kirk 11 yearsRob Litzenberger 10 yearsKelsey Rossow 10 yearsTom Bobrycki 9 yearsTim Nelson 8 yearsPat Gegner 7 yearsLori Harless 5 yearsLaurie Walker 5 yearsWes Dyer 4 yearsJen Hanley-Tuttle 2 yearsAshley Anderson 1 yearBonnie Bley 1 yearMark Dooley 1 yearMegan Erickson 1 yearDave Stedman 1 year

    FF&M CANNON FALLS

    Deb Graber 22 yearsBrenda Deutsch 17 yearsKatie Overby 13 yearsKris Bodette 12 yearsCheryl Hansen 12 yearsAnne Leverton 12 yearsMichele Zimmerman 10 yearsJohn Wegmann 9 yearsDeb Gesme 8 yearsCheryl Sabin 3 yearsPatty Gustafson 1 year

    FF&M GOODHUE

    Mary Majerus 29 yearsHolly Roschen 29 yearsLara Ramthun 11 years

    FF&M LE SUEUR

    Kathy Harrison 38 yearsGail Nelson 34 yearsLinda Grack 16 yearsMonica Sullivan 12 yearsBrian Pfarr 10 yearsLynnette Eckblad 8 years

    FF&M RED WING

    Gayle Boldt 4 yearsMissy Anderson 1 yearKrystyna Bremer 1 year

    LEAMINGTON CO.

    Doug Swanson 44 yearsJim Tuttle 18 years

    ADMIRAL MERCHANTS

    Theresa Dougan BrokerPaul Hinrichs Director of SafetyClaire Gregory Receptionist

    FF&M GRAND MEADOW

    Vicki Holz Charter Teller/CSRTabitha Hoffman Charter Teller /CSR

    FF&M PIPESTONE

    Whitney Norberg Part-time Teller

    ST. PAUL FLIGHT CENTER

    Mike Schmelpfenig Line Service

    FF&M LUVERNE

    Congratulations to Peg Gacke and husband Vince and Mary Christensen and husband Todd on the marriage of their children Landen Gacke to Lauren Christensen on July 25.

    FF&M PIPESTONE

    Jamie (Silkman) Cordell was married to Jacob Cordell on September 12. Jamie and Jacob were married in a lovely outdoor ceremony and the couple is making their home in Ihlen, Minnesota. Congratulations, Jamie and Jacob!

  • Hooray!SHORT COMPANIES

    215 South 11th StreetMinneapolis, MN 55403

    (612) 332-4732

    ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

    24

    When Ken Lehner, Payroll Office Administrator, received this postcard recently regarding the Minnesota Twins 2016 season ticket renewal, he noticed some familiar faces in the front row! Jim Bemis, CFO, Jeff Johnson, Controller, and Kelsey Rossow, Accounting Manager, from Admiral Merchants, and Hunt Gildner from U.S. Bank attended the Twins vs. Cardinals game on June 18, 2015. As is pretty apparent in the photo(!), the Twins won, by a score of 2-1.