SHORT
C O M PA N I E S
WINTER 2015
Inside:
Brian P. Short............................2
Austin Update...........................4
Brownsdale Update....................4
Cannon Falls Update..................5
Fairmont Update........................7
Goodhue Update.......................7
Grand Meadow Update..............8
Le Sueur Update........................9
Luverne Update........................11
Pipestone Update......................11
Christmas in Sargeant
I know that every member of the
First Farmers & Merchants team
commits him or herself every day
to our mission of delivering great
customer service. And because
of that, we will continue to be
successful. Yes, there might be
bumps in the road as there were
in 2015. But over our career, over
the life of our company, we will
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
WEEK 2015
(continued from page 1)
We are mere mortals exhibiting
super-human customer service
characteristics;
We are dedicated to serving our
customers;
We are sincere do-gooders
working undercover to solve our
customers problems;
We work above and beyond to
help perfect strangers;
We are doing our jobs with
rewarding customer results;
We exhibit and observe superheroes in action every day;
Why Because we are Everyday
Heroes.
We have continued to use our CSW
powers and are committed to using
our Customer Service Superhero
Power in 2016.
Submitted by: Pat Gegner, Credit
Manager, Admiral Merchants
Motor Freight, Inc.
Austin
Update
On October 3, Dorene Bednar,
Teller, and her children, Joshua
(7), Jacey (4), and Josey (4),
participated in the Pacelli Catholic
Schools 5/10K Ride It
Race
It Walk It. It was an absolutely
beautiful day! After the walk, there
were lots of activities for the kids
to do at the Family Fun Festival.
Brownsdale
Update
October started off with excitement
for our Customer Service Week.
With treats all week and then a
catered meal, Im sure we all gained
a few extra pounds. I am proud to
say that Brownsdale/Sargeant had
Updates
First Farmers & Merchants
Cannon Falls
Update
Everyday Heroes!
Customer Service Week was
SUPER this year! Cannon
Falls celebrated with a 4-foot
superhero sub, a souper lunch
with two kinds of soup and fixings,
some super foods like fruit,
nuts, veggies and protein bars, and
also had chair massages to relax
their muscles from flexing their
customer service skills every day.
Korie Jackson, Teller, won the
Superhero Shield contest which
featured all of the Minnesota sports
teams. Remember: You dont have
to be strong to be a superhero, you
just have to be better than you were
yesterday.
Then two became one..
On October 8, Kelsey (Glaess)
Otte, Credit Analyst, was married
to her now husband, Tyler. Tylers
proposal was a little unorthodox, but
sure made a statement. He proposed
to Kelsey by
spray painting,
Kelsey, Marry
Me? on one
of their barns.
The wedding
Fundraiser Fridays
October
is
Breast
Cancer
Awareness month and the FF&M
team in Cannon Falls helped the
CFHS Student Council with their
fundraiser. Any employees who
wanted to dress in denim jeans for
the five Fridays in October had to
pay $5 to the cause. All in all, we
raised $200 to go toward the efforts
of the Student Council.
Updates
New Employees
Briana Davis (Bri), Loan
Processor, grew up in Red Wing,
MN and graduated from Red Wing
High School. She attended Winona
State University and graduated
in 2003 with a degree in Human
Resource Management and a minor
in Communications. Bri began her
professional career as a closer at
Goodhue County Abstract Company
in Red Wing where she worked for
11 years. Bri lives in Rosemount,
MN with her husband Joe, their
two children, Nathan (4) and Halle
(18 months), and an old dog named
Max. In her limited spare time, Bri
enjoys yoga, watching movies,
playing games and spending time
with her family and friends. Bri is
excited for the opportunity to learn
a new profession and work at First
Farmers & Merchants Bank.
Mariah
Mittlestaedt,
Loan
Processor, was born and raised in
Cannon Falls, and has lived there
her whole life. She just started at
FF&M Operations Center in early
December. In her free time she
likes to get together with family
and friends, go antique shopping,
and collect vinyl records.
Mariah Mittlestaedt
The Data Center added a new
employee to its roster this past
October, but she gets to work in
her hometown of Cannon Falls.
Carrie Johnson, Information
Systems Assistant, has lived in
Cannon Falls her entire life, is
Carrie Johnson
Briana Davis
(continued on page 7)
Updates
Fairmont
Update
Goodhue
Update
(continued on page 8)
Updates
GOODHUE UPDATE
(continued from page 7)
Back in the beginning of November,
we lost one of our part-time tellers,
Veronica, to a full-time loan officer
position at a bank in Red Wing. She
will be missed, but we know that
full-time and the loan side is where
her heart truly is. We wish her the
best of luck in her new adventure!
Weve been doing our usual serving
at the school concession stand
again this season for the basketball
games. It is lots of work, but always
a good time! We get to help out our
school Booster Club and visit with
the customersfrom the home
and opposing teams. Some of us
do more visiting than volunteering,
but oh well, it all works out!
I love the whole holiday season
starting with Thanksgiving all the
way through the New Year! Its
always busy, but I try to make it busy
with helping others and making the
holidays wonderful for everyone,
not just my family. At the bank, we
did a food drive in conjunction with
a group at school called FCCLA.
Cass Ramthun, daughter of Lara
Ramthun, Teller, was involved in
Grand
Meadow
Update
Updates
Le Sueur
Update
Updates
LE SUEUR UPDATE
(continued from page 9)
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Updates
First Farmers & Merchants
Luverne
Update
Congratulations
to
Cris
Oeltjenbruns, who has been
promoted to Ag Loan Officer. She
will be training with Cliff Boom
over the next year as he moves into
semi-retirement.
Cris Oeltjenbruns
Submitted by: Tara Zewiske,
Auditor, and Elaine Hansen, Data
Center
Pipestone
Update
The
Southwest
Minnesota
Housing Partnership is one of six
organizations nationally selected
to receive a $3 million grant/
investment over a three-year
period from ArtPlace America
Community
Development
Investments, to incorporate arts
and cultural strategies into their
core work. Dale Roemmich,
President, is a member of the
Housing Partnership Board of
Directors.
The Federal Home Loan Bank
of Des Moines recently awarded
(continued on page 12)
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Updates
PIPESTONE Update
(continued from page 11)
FF&M Luverne/Pipestone a
$15,000 Homeownership Fund
Grant. The grant funds are used to
assist eligible households with the
purchase of an owner occupied
residence. The funds can be used
for down payment and closing cost
assistance for eligible households
with income at or below 80% of
the area median income. This
is the third time that FHLB has
awarded a home ownership grant
to our charter, with grants totaling
over $80,000.
FF&M participated in the
annual Chamber Chili Cook
Off and Service Auction on
November 20. Mindy Johnson,
Loan Assistant, Missy Newell,
Information Systems Assistant,
and Brooke Legler, Customer
Service Representative, entered
the banks chili in the nontraditional category with their
White Chicken Chili. The theme
of the event was Blazing Saddles,
and the committee decked out the
table with flames, lights, and a
smoldering cauldron to add to the
ambience. The Service Auction
concluded the evening for the
second year in a row, organized
by our own Tim Paulson, Vice
President. FF&M had two entries
in the auction, with Tim Paulson
auctioning off his skills at hanging
Christmas lights, and Tammy
Ogdahl,
Chief
Operations
Officer, and Linda Erickson,
Customer Service Representative,
auctioning ten dozen Christmas
goodies baked with love. The
auction generated over $2,400
toward projects that promote
Pipestone.
12
Whitney Norberg
The
Pipestone
Christmas
Open House was celebrated
on December 21. Committee
members Brooke Legler and
Beth
Angrimson,
Teller,
organized a day full of music
and goodies for our customers.
The morning included the
preschoolers
from
Noahs
Ark singing carols as well as a
performance from the Pipestone
Area Jazz Band, featuring
our own Whitney Norberg.
The afternoon brought Holly
Vandenberg, a local pianist,
Updates
PIPESTONE Update
(continued from page 12)
spreading some cheer. Customers
who attended received a First
Farmers & Merchants Christmas
ornament. After picking out their
ornament, they turned in the
sticker on the bottom to receive
another random prize, which
included cash and coin sets.
Amanda Grooters
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Updates
First Farmers & Merchants
Red Wing
Update
Stewartville
Update
14
New Employee
We are pleased to announce that a
new employee has been hired for
the Stewartville branch. Sabrina
Kingery, Teller/Customer Service
Representative, joined our team on
Monday, December 28. Sabrina
and her husband recently moved
back to the area after residing in
Texas. We look forward to working
with Sabrina.
(continued on page 15)
Updates
STEWARTVILLE Update
(continued from page 14)
Customer Service Week
How Are You An Everyday
Hero? was the theme of our
Customer Service Week, held
during the week of October 5-9.
We enjoyed taking part in the
different activities, prizes and treats
we received, exploring our creative
side in decorating our shields, and
enjoying the camaraderie shared in
working toward this common goal.
Thank you to all those involved in
the planning!
Organizations
The afternoon Lions Club collected
items for Christmas Anonymous
the first week in December. The
Stewartville branch again was
designated as a drop-off site. We
enjoy participating in this very
worthwhile and rewarding cause.
Helping less fortunate children
have a Merry Christmas warms all
of our hearts!
We hope everyone had a very
Merry Christmas, and we wish you
all a healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year!
Submitted by: Jan Cowan, Teller
White Rock
Update
Babe Nelson
(continued on page 16)
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Updates
Admiral
Merchants
Update
so that we could have Christmas
music playing on the radio. If
Julie Benrud Luhman, Audit/
Compliance, hadnt made the three
or four dozen extra cookies, we
would have run out. It was a very
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Updates
ADMIRAL MERCHANTS
Update
posing with
Brian Short!
In addition to
all the holiday
shenanigans,
we also have
a
change
within
the
office. Freight
Coordinator
Rob Litzenberger has decided to
retire after 10 years with Admiral,
effective December 31. He says that
being in the trucking industry for
42 years has made him appreciate
all of our agents, drivers, and
contractors even more. We will
sure miss him and his positive
attitude here at the office!
Over
the
Christmas holiday,
Admiral
had
a
surprising
visitor. Elf on
the Shelf was
spotted in various
places
within
the Minneapolis
office, including
Calhoun
Towers
Update
17
Executive Offices/215
Update
Eagle Awards
Jeff Johnson
Controller
Submitted by: Admiral Team
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ANNUAL BANK
PRESIDENTS
MEETING
Thursday, March 10
and
Friday, March 11
Conference Center
First National Bank Building
in downtown St. Paul
Further details, including hotel
information, will be
sent out in the coming weeks
Admiral Merchants
Jeff Johnson
We are very pleased to announce
that Jeff Johnson, our Controller,
is being recognized as our 4th
Quarter Eagle Award recipient.
Jeff joined the Admiral team in
June of 2002 as our Controller and
has overseen a phenomenal amount
of changes over the years. Some
of the changes made included
scanning of all paperwork and
implementing positive pay with
the bank to ensure only checks
weve issued are cleared and
only for the amount written. Just
recently, the positive pay system
stopped several fraudulent checks
from being cashed for thousands of
dollars. This year, Jeff and his team
completed the implementation of
an automated settlement program
that allows all of our customers to
go online and look at the detail of
their settlement payment and run
(continued on page 19)
Eagle Awards
EAGLE AWARDS
(continued from page 18)
FF&M Pipestone
Michael Hansen
Vice President &
Senior Lending Officer
Submitted by: Dale Roemmich,
President
Michael Hansen
Mike has been with our bank for
over 28 years and also has previous
ag lending experience with
Farmers Home Administration and
PCA. Mike handles a significant
portfolio of ag loans, but he is being
nominated for his experience and
expertise in financing wind tower
projects. Mike has been involved
with and has been originating wind
tower loans for almost 15 years and
was a part of the original initiative
when First Farmers started financing
wind towers. This included
working with bank regulators to
help them understand the nuances
of underwriting these projects, and
finally, working through the initial
lending limit constraints when the
regulators were consolidating all
wind projects under one lending
limit. The lending limit constraints
required that many of the loans
that were originated had to be
participated with banks throughout
the country. As a result of his
Lisa MacRae
Lisa MacRae, one of Red Wings
customer service representatives,
goes to the extreme to help the
customer in whatever their issue
may be. She gets compliments
from customers all the time. She
treats all of her customers as if
they were part of her family the
walk to their vehicle for one last
(continued on page 20)
19
EAGLE AWARDS
(continued from page 19)
Mike Schimelpfenig
Mike joined our team here at the
St. Paul Flight Center on July 21,
2015. During our initial meeting, I
knew right away Mike would be the
perfect fit to join our team. Bringing
over five years of experience in
both line service and customer
service with him and a wonderful
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Wellness
21
Wellness
FITBIT
CHALLENGE
22
F.E.D.
News
ANNIVERSARIES
ADMIRAL MERCHANTS
Matt Bunnell
Mary Alfano
Wade Larkin
Rusty Parker
Shawn Morrison
Kim Guzman
Dishon Smoot
NEW EMPLOYEES
FF&M CANNON FALLS
19 years
14 years
14 years
9 years
8 years
7 years
2 years
Briana Davis
Loan Processor
Mariah Mittlestaedt
Loan
Processor
Carrie Johnson
Information
Systems Asst.
FF&M PIPESTONE
Amanda Grooters
Teller
BIRTH
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FF&M LE SUEUR
Kevin and Sue Kahle proudly
announce the birth of another
granddaughter. Harper Julianna
Kahle was born on December 9 and
weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. Her parents are
Dustin and Tonya Kahle and big
sisters are Brooklyn and Khloe.
27 years
26 years
23 years
12 years
9 years
3 years
1 year
1 year
1 year
FF&M LE SUEUR
Martha May
41 years
12 years
12 years
12 years
8 years
8 years
LEAMINGTON CO.
Kenneth Lehner
Sabrina Kingery
Teller/CSR
WEDDINGS
FF&M CANNON FALLS
FF&M LUVERNE
FF&M STEWARTVILLE
1 year
Congratulations
to
Karen
Wohnoutka on the marriage of her
son Joel to Beth on October 24,
2015, in Sioux Falls, SD.
FF&M LUVERNE
Sandy Clark proudly announces
the birth of another granddaughter.
Kamryn Ever was born October
7 and weighed 8lbs. 12oz.
Congratulations, Sandy and Tom!
LaDonna VanAartsen proudly
announces the birth of her first
granddaughter. Kaylee Harper
was born December 2 and weighed
5 lbs. 13 oz. Congratulations,
LaDonna and Darrel!
Paulette Richters became a
grandparent again on December
20. Xander Chase came into
the world weighing 7 lbs. 12 oz.
Congratulations to Paulette and
Randy!
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Hooray!
SHORT COMPANIES