Pub. 3 2023 Issue 3

Where are your main bank and branches located? What is the market like?Our headquarters is in Macon and we have a branch in Monroe City. Our market is a large mix of consumers, local businesses and farm operations. What is something unique about your bank?Our bank was started in 1893 by W.J. “Jett” Dearing and […]

The 1st Regular Session of the 102nd Missouri General Assembly ended May 12 at 6 pm. As with past years, there was controversy in the Missouri Senate during the last week.

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ve heard me talk about reforming the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) a time or two. But now that Republicans have the House majority and the United States Supreme Court is going to decide whether its funding mechanism is constitutional, we’re in a position to actually make some changes. And I’ve got several bills in the works to bring reform to arguably the most unaccountable agency in Washington.

There’s no doubt about it; today’s economic environment is tumultuous. All around us, we’re fending off new storms from big bank failures to compliance hurdles and beyond. But we weather these tempests through our relationship-first focus.

If there’s one universal truth about small businesses, it’s this: No two are the same. Whether it’s an agricultural entity, a business consultancy, a retail establishment or a host of other options, you’d be hard-pressed to find a replicated set of financial needs. Fortunately, community banks operate in the same fashion. Though you share common values in relationship-first banking, your models are based on the needs of the communities you support.

Community banks at their core are financial institutions that serve the local population in a specific region or area. We not only provide generic financial services, such as savings accounts, loans, mortgages, and investment products, but can tailor to the customer’s unique needs. We differ from larger national or multinational banks because we tend to be smaller and more focused on the local market.