Teller
the
years 1922-2022
FIRST EDITION 2022
EMPLOYEE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION Saturday, January 29 Cuddy Family Midtown Park Anchorage 5-7 p.m.
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2 Centennial Celebration 4 Stars 6 Anniversaries 7 Community Sponsorship 8 Ketchikan LPO
FIRST NATIONAL BANK ALASKA IS AN EQUAL HOUSING LENDER AND MEMBER FDIC | NMLS# 640297
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100 Years Shaping Tomorrow
First National has seen monumental change since our unique beginnings in 1922, but one thing remains the same: amazing employees who set the bar high and reach it every time. n 1922, Winfield Ervin, Sr. opened the doors at First National Bank of Anchorage with just $55,000 in capital, 500 outstanding shares of stock and a vault of gold nuggets and untanned pelts. Besides Ervin, there was only one other employee at the little bank on the corner of 4th Avenue and G Street. A lot has changed since then. The bank’s 100-year journey has seen Alaska through the Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, a world war, earthquakes, economic booms and busts, ever-changing technology, a pandemic, and much more.
If you’d like a digital version of The Teller delivered to your inbox, send us an email with the subject “Digital Teller” to Marketing@ FNBAlaska.com. Be sure to include your first and last name.
On January 30, 2022, First National Bank Alaska will mark its Centennial year. From one branch with two employees to a statewide organization with $5+ billion dollars in assets, 28 locations across the state and more than 600 employees working to keep the bank moving forward. We think it’s safe to say First National has cemented itself as a part of Alaska’s history. A key element of the bank’s longtime success is people, — smart, hard-working employees like you who are comitted to their communities. “Thank you to our incredible employees who have made this milestone possible. I look forward to continuing to work alongside you as you succeed inside and outside the workplace, today, tomorrow and beyond,” said Board Chair and CEO Betsy Lawer. As a First National employee, you’re part of our story, our history. An organization doesn’t turn 100 every day. It’s an exciting accomplishment for any company, but especially an Alaska company and a community bank. It’s an achievement worth applauding and we’re looking forward to celebrating our centennial with you throughout 2022.
Marketing FIRST NATIONAL BANK ALASKA P.O. BOX 100720 ANCHORAGE, AK | 99510-0720
This year, in lieu of a Dinner Dance, the Board of Directors will kick off the bank’s 100th anniversary with an Employee Centennial Celebration on January 29. The festivities will take place outside, snow or shine, at Cuddy Family Park in Anchorage. We’re looking forward to coming together for a fun-filled winter wonderland event with food from local food trucks, music and other fun surprises.
Gabi Riquelme | EDITOR, WRITER David Haynes | WRITER Paige Perez | WRITER Joanne Teague | DESIGN, LAYOUT Marketing | DISTRIBUTION Laura Carpenter | EDITOR Denise Brown Robinson | MANAGING EDITOR Submissions to The Teller are welcome. Please pouch, fax or mail your submissions (for story ideas) to Marketing, fax: 907-777-3406. Keep in mind submissions are welcomed each month to make the next edition. Submissions are published on a space available basis, and may be edited.
OPPORTUNITY HOTLINE
Here’s to our employees and another 100 years of meeting the needs of Alaskans. Cheers!
NMLS# 640297
If you’re interested in transferring to another position within the bank or you know someone who is looking for a job opportunity have them check out the CAREERS page at FNBAlaska.com First National is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Stories of Shaping Tomorrow Recently, I finally became a stockholder in First National Bank Alaska. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part owner of this bank! I love Alaska and the idea that I am directly investing in the future of the Last Frontier. I won’t make it another 100 years, but I know First National Bank Alaska will still be growing and going strong.
Scott Kohlhaas FIRST NATIONAL SHAREHOLDER
My husband and I had lived in Healy for just over a year when our dream piece of property came up for sale. We tried to secure a loan through the financial institutions we had banked with for years, but nobody would finance a raw piece of land. But First National did! It was an amazing benefit to have a local branch in Healy able to not only finance the investment but also help us every step along the way.
Teresa Floberg CUSTOMER IN HEALY, AK
What stands out the most to me about First National’s past is their branch in Bethel. Having a branch on the bank of the Kuskokwim River is something special. They’re here even though Bethel is a very remote area that is only accessible by plane. I am thankful I can access the Kuskokwim branch for any help needed.
My mother has been a First National employee for the past 30+ years, so I’ve been a First National customer since birth. As a child, I have fond memories of running errands with her on the weekends, visiting the gingerbread houses in Eagle River at the bank for the Merry Merchant Munch, and always watching my mom have pleasant conversations with her co-workers. I thought for a while that the attitude must only have been because she worked with these people, but as I grew up and started using the bank by myself for all these grown up things, I realized that’s just how the people of First National are. The new U-Med branch was the branch I used the most and I developed relationships with the people who were there. I would go in weekly, we’d ask how our weeks were, and the same people always remembered me and I remembered them. A real community feeling.
Genevieve Fayette CUSTOMER IN EAGLE RIVER, AK
My parents banked at First National on 4th Avenue in Anchorage. They came to Alaska in 1947. As a young child, the rainbow trout in the aquarium facing 4th Ave. fascinated me. I opened my first account with First National after my first job working at Center Bowl in 1967. I banked at the fairly new location at the Northern Lights Shopping Center. It was also a drive-thru which was kind of different. When I married, we lived in Valdez for 15 years and banked at the First National there.
When my boys were young I would take them in for Pie Day! Bank employees were always so nice and it was one of my boys’ favorite things each year, and of course they got a First National sucker. Sometimes it’s the small things that make a difference!
Selena Dixon CUSTOMER IN HEALY, AK
Ronald Watkins CUSTOMER IN ANCHORAGE, AK
Chanel Simon CUSTOMER IN BETHEL, AK
s that have e e y lo p m e le ur incredib o o t u rward to o y fo k k n o a lo h T I . le ib stone pos s e il m is d inside h t e e e c d c a u m s u o y s with you a k r o w yo n d . o e t b g d in n u a w o r r contin o , today, tom e c la p k r o w e h and outside t
wer Betsy La D CEO AIR BOARD CH
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THE TELLER PRESENTS
First National Stars The bank often receives emails, letters and cards from valued customers and coworkers that express thanks and share stories of excellent customer service and other good deeds. Here are some examples. Letters have been edited for content and clarity.
A VERY SATISFIED CUSTOMER A customer submitted this wonderful email about Loan Servicing Supervisor Karen Anne Salgatar. The bank is lucky to have her on our team. My name is Steve Steffensen, I live in Kodiak. I have been a customer for nearly four decades. We recently had two of our mortgages taken over by First National Bank Alaska. They had previously been handled by the Kodiak Housing Authority. In order to answer our questions, our local Kodiak Branch reached out for help at the main office in Anchorage. In overhearing the conversations, I kept hearing the name “Karen” being used as the phone calls for help continued. We already had a scheduled trip planned to Anchorage so we went to the main office there and found the “Karen” who was trying to help us by long distance in Kodiak. This brings me to the point of my email. We not only found Karen, she so impressed us that it brought tears to my eyes. We were suffering from the loss of our youngest son only days before our meeting and she treated us with such kindness and professionalism we will be forever grateful. Her full name is Karen Anne Fritz-Salgatar. Your company is blessed to have such a person under your employment!!! She is a shining example of what customers need, want, and desire when we are in need of help and assistance. Please pass along what a huge blessing she was to me and my wife!!!
MAGNIFICENT CUSTOMER SERVICE BY SITKA’S MCKENZIE Sitka Branch Operations Supervisor Chris Bergman received a handwritten thankyou letter about the customer service given by Universal Teller John McKenzie. I just want to say John McKenzie was an amazing public servant—he helped me make a complex set of transfers with humor and patience. He then took the time to introduce the mobile FNBApp and all its conveniences to me and promised to help me whenever. Kathleen McCrossin, Sitka Branch customer
I HAVE ACCOUNTS
Yours truly,
AT OTHER BANKS
Steve Steffensen, longtime customer
AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE EXPERIENCED
SUPER STAFF IN SEWARD Kudos to Branch Manager Melissa Schutter and the Seward team for always displaying First National’s matchless customer service. The employees at First National Bank Alaska in Seward are super. I have always been treated with exceptional service. I have accounts at other banks and even though I have experienced competent service, I feel the Seward branch staff truly appreciates me. They work accurately and quickly to address my every request. Diane Owens, Seward Branch customer
COMPETENT SERVICE, I FEEL THE SEWARD BRANCH STAFF TRULY APPRECIATE ME.
Diane Owens
SEWARD BRANCH CUSTOMER
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BIG BRAVO FOR SALEM A business customer emailed Northern Lights Branch Manager Rhoda Frei these kind words about Universal Teller Yolanda Salem. I wanted to take a moment to let you know of an exceptional employee. Yolanda Salem is a joy to work with at the Northern Lights Branch. She usually works the drive-thru lane closest to the road. I will wait in what is sometimes a longer line just to get her as my teller. She always has a smile, knows who we are, and always asks questions about me or my family. She is a true gem. I am sure you are already aware of such a great employee but I wanted you to know that we also are aware of and appreciate her. Thank you, Lynn Kanady, Business customer
Tap, snap and deposit checks with the FNBApp or FNBizApp* Securely deposit checks into your personal or business checking and savings accounts using your smartphone and mobile apps. It’s easy, just: 1. Download the free** mobile FNBApp or FNBizApp. 2. Endorse the check, write “for mobile deposit only” and include the account number. 3. Enter the check information. 4. Take a photo of the front and back of the check. 5. Verify and submit your deposit. For more information, talk with your local banker or visit FNBAlaska.com.
Yolanda Salem is a joy to work with at the Northern Lights Branch. She always has a smile, knows who we are, and always asks questions about me or my family. She is a true gem. Lynn Kanady BUSINESS CUSTOMER
907-777-4362 Anchorage/Eagle River 1-800-856-4362 other communities * To use Business Mobile Check Deposit, your company must be set up for Business Online Banking and enrolled in the mobile deposit service. Access to mobile deposit service is available once established by your company’s System Administrator. ** Messaging and data rates may apply. Download the app from the App Store™ or Google Play™.
Service Spotlight
BANK ON THE GO WITH MOBILE CHECK DEPOSIT
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ALAN DABLEMONT – 40 YEARS
Anniversaries As First National celebrates a century of helping Alaskans meet their financial needs and goals, the impressive list of longtime employees who have significantly contributed to the bank’s success grows. Here’s to celebrating the accomplishments of some of those individuals who have made a difference in First National’s history.
Some people’s first jobs are just that, first jobs. But at First National, you frequently meet employees who’ve taken their first jobs at the bank and developed them into long-lasting careers. Alan Dablemont is one of those employees with deep roots. Dablemont has worn many hats throughout his 40-year tenure at the bank. He made his First National debut in 1976 as a Vault Teller at the original Main Branch in downtown Anchorage. After 15 months, Dablemont left the bank for a brief time to build houses with his uncle. He also spent some time as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Soldotna. He returned to First National in 1981 and has been helping shape the bank’s tomorrow ever since. Looking back on his career, Dablemont has many highlights. He’s had a hand in developing several new products and services throughout his time, some of which Dablemont says were integral in modernizing the bank. But Dablemont says he’s most proud of growing the Treasury Management Unit (formerly known as Cash Management) from a one-person operation into what it is today. When he was tasked to grow and sell the bank’s Cash Management services, Dablemont proposed a plan with three units including sales, support and research.
Take pride in your work, do everything to the best of your ability. Treat people right and utilize the resources you have here to learn and grow.
“We were the first real sales area of the bank and were very successful in growing our customer base,” he said. “It’s also especially satisfying to see how successful many of those employees have become over the years.” Thanks to the groundwork laid by Dablemont and his team, First National’s Treasury Management Unit is able to offer a variety of online and mobile services to business customers across Alaska. During his time in Cash Management, Dablemont started the Research & Development Unit with one of the major projects being the development of the bank’s Call Center. He was then asked to oversee all Anchorage Branches in addition to the Cash Management Unit, which he did for several years before moving to his current position as Bank Operations Support Director.
I’m living proof of the opportunities First National provides if you have a good work ethic and care about others.
When asked what advice he’d like to pass on to other employees, Dablemont said this: “Take pride in your work, do everything to the best of your ability. Treat people right and utilize the resources you have here to learn and grow. I’m living proof of the opportunities First National provides if you have a good work ethic and care about others. I am First National Proud!”
I am First National Proud!
The Teller also congratulates: Q3 - Branch Manager Kippy Lane (30 years); Central Loan Processing Director D’Ava Marsh (25 years); Operations Supervisor Chris Bergman (20 years); Loan Assistant Julie Ferrin (20 years); Senior Underwriter Darrell Lampert (20 years); Central Loan Processor -Lending Associate Kris Kirk (20 years); Specialty Lending Director Stacy Tomuro (20 years); BSA/AML Analyst Roselyn Registe (15 years); Q4 - Product Support Specialist John Shannon (20 years); Product Support Manager Heidie Wines (20 years) on their dedicated services and years of employment at First National.
Alan Dablemont
BANK OPERATIONS SUPPORT DIRECTOR
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First National sponsors the Conquer COVID Coalition in their vaccination mission A lot has changed over the past year and a half since the coronavirus pandemic first touched Alaska soil, but one major thing has stayed the same: First National’s commitment to the health and prosperity of the Alaska community. The bank continued to support communities across the state by donating $25,000 to the Conquer COVID Coalition (CCC). This sponsorship has allowed the local nonprofit to jumpstart their mission “to educate Alaskans about the specific steps they can take to stop the community spread of COVID-19 in Alaska, and to achieve a sustained level of control that allows our individuals, families, and communities to return to a fully functioning society and economy.”
Formed in December 2020 during a critical point in the pandemic, the CCC is comprised of Alaska businesses, healthcare organizations, community leaders and everyday Alaskans. Members of the coalition are invested in providing Alaskans with up-to-date education about the virus, including the latest news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, locations of local testing and vaccination sites, and other local and verifiable resources to help combat the spread of the virus.
We are proud to sponsor the Conquer COVID Coalition in their mission to shape a healthy future for our community today, as well as for the Alaskans of tomorrow. Cheri Gillian
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
If you know of a non-profit group that would like to request a donation from the bank, direct them to the forms page on our website. They can download a donation request to complete and put before the Donation Committee, which meets the third Thursday of every month. If they have any questions, tell them to call David Haynes, Business Support Specialist, at 907-777-3451.
Cheri Gillian, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at the bank and co-chair of the CCC, felt the sponsorship was a natural extension of the bank’s values. “Supporting Alaskans has been at the forefront of First National’s mission since the bank first opened its doors in 1922,” Gillian said. “We are proud to sponsor the Conquer COVID Coalition in their mission to shape a healthy future for our community today, as well as for the Alaskans of tomorrow.”
8 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
First National Bank Alaska
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
P. O. Box 100720 Anchorage, Alaska 99510-0720
PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK PERMIT NO. 175
Loan Production Office in Ketchikan
Steve Boehlert Vice President and Loan Officer
First National’s first stand-alone Loan Production Office (LPO) is now open in the heart of Ketchikan. For over a century, First National has put helping Alaskans at the forefront of its mission — no matter where they live. Investing in Alaska’s smaller communities is critical to shaping a brighter tomorrow for the entire state. This sentiment is exactly what Chief Corporate Lending Officer Darren Franz, Juneau Regional Branch Manager Tom Sullivan and Branch Administration Director Karl Heinz had in mind while searching for the perfect location to open a Loan Production Office (LPO). When the team crunched the numbers, they realized that the small town of Ketchikan had big potential.
SHAPING ALASKA’S TOMORROW After more than a year of planning and renovation, First National opened the new Loan Production Office in Ketchikan on Nov. 1, 2021. Located at 1621 Tongass Ave., Suite 100, the office allows customers to apply for personal and commercial loans locally. (Note: The LPO is not a full-service branch.)
In addition to Ketchikan, the LPO serves the entirety of southern Southeast Alaska. Customers who used to have to travel to Anchorage to start the loan process now have a place in their community to speak to a loan officer. “Over the past 100 years, the bank has dedicated itself to supporting Alaska communities and meeting the financial needs of Alaskans,” said Board Chair and CEO Betsy Lawer. “Opening a Loan Production Office in Ketchikan will provide Southeast residents access to loan experts and banking support right where they live and work.”
To Franz, the LPO is proof the bank still has plenty of room to grow for the next century and beyond. “One of the most exciting things about this new office is it’s opening in an area that in our 100-year history we have never had a location before,” Franz said. “It’s a brand-new market, yet still Alaska.”
MEETING ALASKANS’ NEEDS
WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT
For about six months, Boehlert worked out of the same boat, connecting with prospective customers and assisting with setting up the new space in the heart of Ketchikan’s central business district. His hard work paid off: right away, he noticed the positive effects the LPO has had on his community.
The first employee of the new office is Vice President and Loan Officer Steve Boehlert, a 31-year Ketchikan resident with more than 17 years of local banking experience. He joined the First National team before the LPO had an official location, and was instrumental in finding the perfect place for the new office.
“What has struck me the most is the speed, flexibility and insight from the experts at the bank,” Boehlert said. “Customers really appreciate how quickly we can turn loans around for them, and that our local management understands Alaskans and their needs.”
As the only First National employee working in Ketchikan at the time, Boehlert had the unusual freedom to choose his remote workspace.
It’s just one more way we’re shaping a brighter future for Alaska – today, tomorrow and beyond.
“I had a boat parked in the harbor,” Boehlert recalled. “I essentially took a photo and sent it to Tom and Karl and said ‘this is my new workspace.’”
Customers really appreciate how rn quickly we can tum. e loans around for hthlert
oe SteveENB ER T & LOAN OFFIC
VICE PRESID