Integral banking

~Local banks contribute to the community in a variety of ways

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Banking in Missouri : A look at the state's financial statistics

MARCH 2007 DECEMBER 2006 DECEMBER 2005 DECEMBER 2004

Number of banking institutions: 366 368 373 373

Total interest income: $1,722,795 $6,317,130 $5,084,992 $4,206,629

Total interest expense: $800,355 $2,691,135 $1,742,826 $1,124,025

Total non-interest income: $352,073 $1,361,081 $1,272,794 $1,217,260

Net income: $297,678 $1,224,830 $1,151,147 $1,055,614

Cash dividends: $203,599 $668,382 $741,622 $703,458

$ in 000's Total (Sum)

Source: FDIC statistics; as of March 31, 2007.

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Locally-owned banks have more to offer than commercial loans and business advice. Banks and their employees are integral parts of the communities they're in.

For Larry Uelsmann, president of Security Bank and Trust -- headquartered in Scott City with branches in Cape Girardeau, Marble Hill and Leopold -- banking and community are inseparable.

"My father and grandfather were bankers in Scott City," Uelsmann said. "I ran microfilm for the bank when I was 6. I don't know how I would not be involved in the community."

Capaha Bank employees are actively involved in donating time and money to many worthwhile causes such as Relay for Life and the United Way, said Jennifer Hendrickson.

"Our officers serve on the boards and committees of many organizations such as the Chamber, Old Town Cape, Zonta, Community Counseling Center and more to help guide them, provide resources and help them plan for a successful future," she said. "It is not uncommon to see a handful of our bank officers at almost any community event. We set aside a fair amount of money each year just to make sure we can respond to the financial needs of the community."

First Community Bank, headquartered in Poplar Bluff, stresses outreach to children. It recently sponsored a Teach Children to Save Day, and participates in education programs in the communities it serves -- Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, Bernie, Malden and Campbell, said Tiffany Jenkins, marketing officer.

First Community Bank, she said, believes in helping the smaller communities grow. Currently it is helping Malden with its efforts to revitalize the former Air Force base location.

First Missouri State Bank, located in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, supports both hospital foundations, the United Way, the university foundation, 4-H, senior citizens, schools and other organizations in both communities, says Brittney Lee, marketing and pubic relations director. Giving back to the community "is encouraged of everyone from the top down," she said.

Clint Karnes, community bank president of the Wood and Huston Bank in Cape Girardeau, estimates that the Cape branch of the bank gives between $35,000 and $40,000 back to the community in a year by contributing in some way to about 50 different entities.

"We help the Red Cross, the United Way, hospitals; we're involved with Junior Achievement, Chamber of Commerce, VFW," he said. "We have helped something as small as someone's traveling soccer team to a youth group at a church raising money for a trip or a project. We donate a lot of savings bonds for a lot of auctions. We try to impact schools.

"We have 32 employes in our Cape Girardeau facility. I tell all of them to have some sort of passion they want to support and do that. We had a food drive for FISH going on a while ago because one employee felt very strongly about it."

When the new Jackson branch of Wood and Huston opens, that kind of involvement will prevail there, said Shawn Cook, community president of the Jackson branch.

Time is money, and that carries over to what Alliance Bank contributes to the community, said Cord Polen, president of the bank. When bank officers and employees get involved with a civic organization, he said, they don't just sit at meetings and eat lunch; they actively give their time in fund-raising projects.

Alliance Bank puts its money where its employees' hearts lie.

"The approach we have taken here is we will provide financial support for organizations our employees are actively involved in," he said.

Alliance Bank has offered educational programs to teach low income borrowers how to apply for home loans. Alliance was one of two banks in Missouri to receive grant money through the Federal Home Loan bank to help with closing costs and/or down payments for first-time home buyers, Polen said.

Polen sits on two not-for-profit boards that work with issues related to the mentally retarded. Officers in other communities Alliance bank serves are equally involved -- the Sikeston bank is active in the Kenny Rogers Cerebral Palsy Center and helps sponsor the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. The facility in Oran is also actively involved in that community, he said.

"I think people, regardless of whether they're in Cape Girardeau or Timbucktu, should make a community by putting back into it, just taking from it," he said.

"We really focus on our schools," said Jean Clements marketing director of the Bank of Missouri. "We feel its a very important part of our community. They are our future leaders. Since we are a locally owned bank we feel it's very important to give back to the community because we are part of the community as well."

Giving back to the community is essential, agrees Hendrickson of Capaha Bank.

"All of our employees, officers and directors understand that in order to succeed as an organization we must recognize and respond to the needs of the community," she said. "We consider it an honor and a privilege to contribute in so many different ways throughout the year."