First Interstate Bank | all branches, recently collected and donated 12,232 clothing items during the bank's annual Coats and More Drive. 

First Nebraska Bank | Elkhorn, hosted a blood drive on Dec. 16.

Five Points Bank | Grand Island, donated replica championship trophies to the entire Grand Island Northwest softball team to celebrate their state championship victory.

MNB Bank | McCook, recently donated $1,516 raised during the bank's Nov. 22 bake sale to the local Adopt-a-Chaplain organization, which supports deployed military chaplains and the troops they serve.

United Republic Bank | Elkhorn, held its December "Grow by Giving" activities, including: partnering with local TV station WOWT for Stuff the Bus, ringing bells for the Salvation Army and Stuff the Sleigh for Seniors. Bank employees adopted 26 senior citizens this year through the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. (pictured)

Photos, L to R: Ron Gentrup and Raul Sarmiento

Jerry Schaefer, South Central State Bank | Blue Hill, will be retiring at the end of 2022 after a total of 27 years with the bank. He was president of South Central State Bank from 1991-2002 and from 2007-2022; from 2002-2007 he served as president of First National Bank of Ainsworth, now Homestead Bank. (pictured)

Kay Shannon, Cornerstone Bank | Franklin, recently retired after 17 years with the bank. An open house was held on Dec. 16 to celebrate her retirement. She most recently was the lead personal banker at the Franklin branch. (pictured)

Photos, L to R: Jerry Schaefer and Kay Shannon

Dina Euler, Midwest Bank | Lincoln, recently celebrated her 10th anniversary with the bank. She is an assistant vice president in business banking. (pictured)

Stacee Smock, MNB Bank | McCook, celebrated her five-year anniversary with the bank. She is a vice president, retail banking manager. (pictured)

Photos, L to R: Dina Euler and Stacee Smock

Auburn State Bank | Auburn, recently donated $50,000 to Peru State College's Project Renewed Opportunities for Activity and Recreation (ROAR) campaign. The project will add five new buildings to the campus; the bank will also have the naming rights for a basketball court in the multipurpose dome. (pictured)

Bruning Bank | Grand Island, recently opened a loan production office at 2138 N. Webb Road in Grand Island, with plans for a full-service branch in the future.

Cornerstone Bank | York, was the corporate sponsor for the annual "Cocoa and Carols" program by the York University Celebration Singers from Dec. 8-11.

First National Bank of Omaha | Gretna, opened a new branch last week at 20640 Hwy 370 in Gretna.

Horizon Bank | Waverly, recently donated $50,000 to the Greater Waverly Area Foundation Fund to help fund the new Waverly Aquatic Center. (pictured)

Lincoln Federal Savings Bank | Lincoln, provided six local schools with 150 holiday food baskets through its LincolnFED Kids Program. To date, the bank has provided 2,150 baskets to families needing assistance with food needs over the holiday school break.

Riverstone Bank | Scottsbluff, partnered with the local YMCA to host the Jingle Jog three-mile fun run/walk on Dec. 10. Prior to the run, the bank hosted the Truck of Love, which collected toys, coats, non-perishable food items and cash donations.

WCB | Blair, presented a check for $14,500 during this year's Washington County Gives on Nov. 29 through the bank's "Mortgage That Gives Back" program. The Washington County Community Foundation will distribute the funds among 57 local non-profits. (pictured)

Recent Hires:

• Austin Geis, Heritage Bank | Wood River, relationship manager (pictured)
• Marta Plumlee, Union Bank & Trust | Lincoln, branch manager
• Will Speth, Home Federal Bank | Holdrege, loan officer

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Promotions:

• Susan Libich, Cornerstone Bank | York, trust operations manager (pictured)
• Nick Ludwig, Union Bank & Trust Co. | Lincoln, assistant vice president - Union Equipment Finance
• Jennifer Schnieders, Union Bank & Trust Co. | Lincoln, vice president - IT business solutions management (pictured)
• Oscar Spader, Cornerstone Bank | York, assistant vice president & manager/credit review (pictured)
• Jason Tiedtke, American National Bank | Omaha, director of specialty finance

Photos, L to R: Austin Geis, Susan Libich, Jennifer Schnieders, Oscar Spader

Amber Burge, Flatwater Bank | Gothenburg, was recently named as one of BankNews magazine's 2022 "Outstanding Women in Banking." She is the marketing director at the bank. (pictured)

Katie Miller, West Gate Bank | Lincoln, celebrated her 15th anniversary with the bank in Dec. She is a vice president and branch manager. (pictured)

Photos, L to R: Amber Burge and Katie Miller

Core Bank | Omaha, recently collected and donated over 26,000 diapers to the Nebraska Diaper Bank for Giving Tuesday. The bank was also the sponsor for #GivingTuesday402.

First Interstate Bank | Broken Bow, received a GROW Award from the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce for its "impressive growth and impact on Broken Bow" since joining the community within the past year.

First National Bank of Omaha | Omaha, marked their 165th anniversary of service this week.

Midwest Bank | Norfolk, was named to the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) 2022 list of the "Best Community Banks to Work For" in the ICBA's magazine Independent Banker.

MNB Bank | Doniphan, recently donated six FFA jackets to the Doniphan-Trumbull chapter. (pictured)

Riverstone Bank | Scottsbluff, recently held a "Gift of Love" campaign, where local schools collected a total of 12,100 pounds of non-perishable food items to distribute throughout the Scottsbluff and Gering communities to help fight food insecurity. Also, the bank is sponsoring the Wild Lights holiday display throughout Dec. at the Riverside Discovery Center.

Security First Bank | Valentine, and Valentine Livestock Auction teamed up with a winning bid of $4,600 for a hand-crafted wood hay hauler and pup trailer created by Swede Lolley during a fundraiser for the Sandhills Cancer Fund. The two businesses then donated the item back to the Sandhills Cancer Fund to use again for a future raffle.

Union Bank & Trust Co. | Fairbury, hosted a "Share the Love" event throughout Nov. in which community members could nominate and vote for their favorite local nonprofit. The bank donated $1,000 to the winner, Five Star Bible Camp, and awarded $100 to the individual who submitted the winning nomination.

Wells Fargo, N.A. | all branches, awarded a total of $830,000 in Impact Grants to 46 organizations in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Wyoming, and Texas, including $525,000 in grants to 28 organizations in Nebraska and western Iowa.

Photo: Rosalie Hastings