Bank News & Financial Literacy

Undoubtedly, you’ve been in a class, attended an informational gathering, or participated in an orientation meeting where the presenter requests that you ask any questions you may have while learning about the new subject or process. Invariably, you are given the assurance that “there are no dumb questions”. While I’ve proven that statement wrong on occasion, what I have found is that other folks in the room almost always do have the same question(s) you’d like to ask.

We live in an amazing technological age. The answer to almost any question you might have can be found in your pocket. Artificial intelligence is advancing at lightning speed and has already moved from merely taking over menial tasks to the point where its capabilities are expanding the frontiers of humanity’s knowledge daily. You can’t read an article about AI without mention of a day when it will be able to “think” for itself.

I’m willing to bet you’ve been in a situation where it has fallen to you to round up volunteers for a charitable cause, a school or workplace event, a sports team, etc. With credit to the economics teacher seeking a student response in 1986’s “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (a must-see if you haven’t, worth watching it again if you have--it holds up), it can be a lonely place. It is also the most accessible way to make a difference; most everyone can do it at some level. Those who can’t participate are likely to need the services volunteers make possible.

Anyone who has grown up or lived in a small town knows that its main street is the center of the universe there—every location is identified by its proximity to that road: “It’s a block north of main behind the pharmacy” or “it’s on main right next to the bakery.” It’s easy to think that the concept of “Main Street” is an antiquated notion, and that it’s all about having the latest concept come to the outskirts of your town.

It is not a stretch to say most everyone agrees good health is vitally important--particularly for those who don’t have it or who have regained it after some sort of illness. While Merriam-Webster includes the “freedom from physical disease or pain” in its definition of “health”, it is so much more than that. In the second part of its definition listing, it defines it as “a condition in which someone or something is thriving or doing well.” It is, in fact, a term that describes someone’s status at a point in time. But if health is a state, how do you get there, and how do you maintain it?

The start of a new year brings with it not only a reflection upon the last one, but also a natural tendency to take stock of where you are in life in an overall sense—within your family structure, in the progress of your career, as a citizen of the area you call home, or in any number of other respects.

With the holiday season in full swing, planning for get-togethers with family and friends is top of mind. This is true whether the gathering is yet another chapter in a time-tested seasonal routine, the next year in a family rotation, or the start of a new holiday tradition. No matter the master plan, there is one common thread that runs through all the celebrations—home. Whether it’s the house you grew up in, your current residence, the in-laws’ place, a friend’s apartment, or a care facility, it is the center of someone’s universe. There are precious few things that carry more importance than a sense of home.

You probably haven’t heard enough about polls at this point, so let’s talk about them. Ok, sarcasm aside, a discussion about their value is fair game. In the political arena, I always find it entertaining to hear those who are leading in the polls talk about how the numbers prove that the candidate’s message is hitting home. At the same time the candidates who are running behind will say they don’t put much stock in polls and that they are often wrong in the end. Both viewpoints have support from election results throughout history.

Don’t worry, the misleadingly negative title is only to catch your eye—I believe it’s known as “click bait” in modern digital terminology. Here comes the positivity…

It’s September, and another summer has flown by, to the dismay of kids everywhere. Grown-ups will miss summer too, but some of them view the start of the school year as the beginning of better living through AI—yes, that’s right—Adult Independence.

A new law enables financial institutions to offer a vulnerable adult the opportunity to submit and update a list of persons who are authorized to be contacted by the financial institution when it reasonably suspects the customer may be a victim of financial exploitation.

As many of you are aware, our New Richmond branch is undergoing a major remodel, the biggest since 1987. Our primary goal is to bring all of our New Richmond staff, along with everything we offer, into one space for the convenience of our customers. Along with that, it is crucial that we modernize to meet the needs of new generations. Underlying all of this is the commitment to remain an anchor resident of downtown New Richmond, which we believe is an important factor in the necessary revitalization of this wonderful city’s main street.

I’ve always maintained that we here in the Upper Midwest have a climate advantage over the rest of the country. Sure, winters (apart from this year) are usually too cold, sometimes too snowy, and always too long. Even so, most of us enjoy enough winter activities to make it quite tolerable. But there is a lesser-known advantage to living here, which I find to be very powerful.

We frequently hear others talk about places to go or things to do as being items on their “bucket list”. This means, of course, that they want to take the coveted trip or participate in the favored activity while they are still able to enjoy it. At or near the top of my list is travelling to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France.

I am programmed to perk up whenever I hear or see another bank or financial institution say or print “community” in their ads. In fact, I notice when any other type of business advertises using that word.

I often find myself thinking about all the many important things that absolutely must be done in our business every day, and it is mind-boggling. Like most organizations, we must address potential employee turnover and retirements in our budgeting and succession planning each year.

Not that long ago, you could go to the doctor, stay at a hotel, or buy something online, and that was the end of it. You may have experienced good care at the clinic, mediocre service at a hotel, or received your merchandise a little late.

Ringing in the New Year is always associated with new beginnings, fresh starts, and of course, New Year’s resolutions. The most popular resolutions by far are those that focus on self-improvement of some type.