In your own words, please describe your role at the bank:
As an AVP/Branch Manager/Loan Officer, my primary focus is to facilitate the growth of businesses by establishing robust financial processes that guide business owners and consumers in achieving their goals. Over the years, my primary objective has been to cultivate strong relationships with business owners and consumers. I firmly believe that customers are the foundation of our community, and I am deeply honored to have the privilege of supporting and assisting them.
​
How did you get into banking?
Upon graduating from high school, I was offered a part-time teller position at a local bank due to my bilingual skills. As I began my work in the industry, I recognized the numerous opportunities available and decided to delve deeper into the world of finance. I progressed from being a Personal Banker to a Loan Officer and eventually became a Mortgage Loan Translator. During this journey, I continued to expand my knowledge of various financial aspects and embarked on the path of higher education, culminating in my graduation in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and leadership.

How is a career in banking an opportunity to impact your community?
The world of banking provides an excellent platform to engage with a diverse range of individuals in our community. I take great pleasure in working closely with the community and consider it a privilege to extend a helping hand by offering financial guidance to help them achieve their personal and business objectives. Our community is incredibly diverse, and as a bilingual banker, I take pride in offering support to everyone with their financial needs.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
 As an immigrant who arrived in this country at the age of nine with ambitious dreams, I owe my drive to my immigrant parents who instilled in me the value of hard work in achieving success in life. I take immense pride in my Latin roots, which have been a powerful motivator in my journey to strive for my goals and dreams and to make a positive impact on the community. Hispanic Heritage Month holds a special place in my heart as it allows us to celebrate and honor our culture, heritage, and contributions to society.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank.
As a mortgage loan officer, I assist customers with the purchase of a home, refinance, HELOC, lot loans and construction loans. However, I am also able to help customers with any type of consumer loans, checking and savings accounts along with some online banking.

How did you get into banking?
I was operating a daycare out of my home when we were looking to relocate to Blair. Our realtor actually made the suggestion to me about applying at WCB and reached out to an employee there on my behalf. I interviewed for a teller position and was hired a week later for a personal banking position. A little over nine years later and a couple different roles including senior personal banker, personal banker supervisor, lending associate and junior mortgage lender, now here I am as a mortgage loan officer.

How is a career in banking an opportunity to impact your community?
​To me, banking and community go hand in hand. At WCB our mission is to guide people to financial success. Having a financially stable community gives a sense of peace. Being involved, giving back and volunteering in your community are so important. My family and I live in this community, and I want to help make our community a great place to live and grow.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is rewarding. When you work for a company who truly treats you like a family, it is a great feeling. Financially assisting people who are strangers, then become customers, then become friends is pretty great!

Share your favorite book, podcast or quote. Why is it your favorite?
Quotes are my favorite. I absolutely love reading and relating to them. I have anxiety, am such a worrier and struggle with self-confidence. There is just something about a quote that is motivational, and knowing that someone at some point was also having the same feelings is reassuring that I am not alone.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
I am 1/2 Hispanic. My dad is 100% Hispanic, and my mom is Caucasian. I believe it is important, no matter what nationality you are, to love and embrace your heritage. While being partially Hispanic doesn't necessarily make me who I am as a person, without my heritage and the sacrifices they chose to make, I would not be where I am today. For that I am very appreciative. God bless the USA.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
I am the Head teller at Homestead Bank-Cozad, NE.

How did you get into banking?
I was contacted by one of our Loan Officers that has since retired. He said they were looking for a part-time teller and thought I would be great for the position. That was short lived as I went to full time two weeks later.

Why is banking a great career?
In the time that I have been working at Homestead, I have had multiple roles. I have been a part-time teller, bookkeeper, loan clerk, and now head teller. There are just so many options and opportunities in banking. Everything is also constantly changing, from being able to access your paycheck faster to being able to transfer money to someone immediately. There is always something new to learn.

Share your favorite book, podcast or quote. Why is it your favorite?
“Man makes plans.... God laughs.” by Michael Chabon
​
I first heard this from my mom and for some reason it just stuck with me. It has been true in many cases, from personal matters to community organizations I am involved in and at work. I have learned that we can plan but ultimately we are not in charge.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
I am very proud of my Hispanic Heritage and love to share it with the people around me. For instance, I have shared with my coworkers many Mexican dishes and introduced them to new flavors.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
As a Commercial Relationship Manager, my primary focus is on facilitating solutions for businesses. I assess creditworthiness, structure loan packages and provide invaluable financial guidance. Through this work, I also prioritize building strong, long-lasting relationships with businesses in the community, ensuring that I become a trusted financial partner in their journey toward success.

How did you get into banking?
​During my time with the Omaha Men's Soccer Program and pursuing my finance degree, I decided to explore the world of banking. That pivotal decision led me to interview for an internship at a community bank. During this time, I saw the opportunity to build meaningful connections with clients and colleagues. Banking isn't just about numbers; it's about people. I found myself working closely with individuals and businesses, understanding their unique needs and providing tailored financial solutions.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is all about the meaningful relationships you build with your coworkers and business partners. Alongside these connections, the vast opportunities for career growth make it a rewarding journey of personal and professional development.

Share your favorite book, podcast or quote. Why is it your favorite?
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." - Tim Notke

This quote resonates deeply with me as an immigrant who arrived in this country at just one year old. My parents, both shining examples of relentless dedication, instilled in me the belief that working hard is the key to achieving my dreams.

Through their unwavering commitment and sacrifices, I not only had the privilege of playing soccer at a Division 1 level, but also became a first-generation college graduate. Now, as a Commercial Relationship Manager, I can continue to rely on my grit, determination and unyielding work ethic to reach new heights in my career and life.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
​As I reflect on my journey to success, I can't help but recognize the profound influence of my Hispanic Heritage. It's a heritage deeply rooted in resilience, family values and a strong work ethic that has propelled me forward.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
I am the Customer Service Training Manager at Union Bank & Trust Co. I have the privilege of leading an amazing team that is passionate about educating our frontline staff on how to serve our customers and deliver amazing service while helping our customers achieve their financial dreams.

How did you get into banking?
I was a young father looking for work after being laid off from my previous job. I applied for a teller opening with Union Bank & Trust at a branch just a few blocks from my childhood home. From there, I was blessed with opportunities and became a personal banker, assistant branch manager and then branch manager in the retail banking world. My passion for learning expanded beyond just learning new job roles, and I weighed a career in education. I took an opportunity to join the training department where I could exercise my passion and stay with UBT. After the previous manager was promoted, I was given the opportunity to lead the training team as manager in 2019.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is a far more diverse industry than it might appear to be from the outside. As customers, we think of bankers as tellers and lenders, but there is so much more than that. There are tremendous opportunities in roles ranging from information technology to marketing, and as a learning professional who originated in the retail banking space, I am a perfect example of this. Bankers build a range of skills that are applicable across almost any industry and knowledge that supports a thriving everyday life. The "banker's hours" don't hurt either!

What is your favorite book, podcast or quote?
At this moment, "Atomic Habits" by James Clear is my favorite book.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank.
I have over 25 years of banking experience and am the Branch Manager at Arbor Bank. As a Branch Manager I am driven to motivate and inspire my team to be “The Jack of All Trades” as we are the first point of contact for communication, while being responsible for leading, developing & managing a team. I also coordinate and facilitate workshops for financial literacy.
 
How did you get into banking?
As a child I always had the desire to lead a team. At 16 years old I worked as a cashier, and I developed cash handling experience and customer service skills. As my eagerness grew at 18, I was looking for a career field and discovered banking while meeting with a recruiting agency. I begin my banking career working as a teller, lead, vault teller, call center, personal banker, loan officer and then advanced into management. My purpose and passion grew, as I parlayed these skills working at various financial institutions such as credit unions, banks, and community banking.
 
Why is banking a great career? 
Working in the banking industry was important to me as I begin my own financial journey. Learning how to manage, budget and make financial decisions that were not taught to me growing up. I found joy in helping everyone of all ages and walks of life. Building relationships are very important it allows bankers to be trusted and valuable advisors. There are so many career opportunities in banking for individuals with or without a degree, however I graduated from Kapalin University to enhance my education and further my career in banking.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your background or what Black History Month means to you?
As a minority I did not see individuals like myself in banking; however, I wanted to be an inspiration for those in the community and educate others in the field of banking that may not have had the exposure.
 
What is your favorite book, podcast or quote?
"Be patient when it seems like things are not going right and may never be right again. Accept that what is yours will come to you in the right way at just the right moment." - Iyanla Vanzant
 
This quote speaks to me as my father instilled in me at an early age to never give up and hard work and dedication pays off for itself.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
As a Compliance Specialist, I have many roles in this position. I monitor Large Cash Receipts for both Washington County Bank and Houghton State Bank which is cash transactions that $1,500 or more made at the banks on a daily basis. I check for Structuring and to see if any Currency Transaction Receipts need to be filed for transactions totaling more than $10,000 in a day. Once a week, I send Beneficial Owner updates to banks that we monitor from a report we received from FNBO to let them know about documentation that is missing and needs to be sent in to remove the alerted account from the report. Once every few weeks, I go to the Bank Secrecy Act website to download a list of people/entities that they have found activity on then I look through our system to make sure none of the people/entities match anyone that we have in our systems. Once a month, I create a report for banks that we monitor for International Wires that were sent out of the country to foreign countries to make there is nothing suspicious about the transactions going out. Once a month, I also monitor the Customer Information Program for people/entities who open a new account with the bank. Per the Patriot Act, any person who opens up a new account with a bank/financial institution must provide them with a valid government issued photo ID, a valid proof of address and their name is entered into the OFAC watchlist to make sure they're not on the list. For Business Entities, they must provide the necessary documentation for their business in order to be allowed to open a bank account. Any CTRs that were filed by the bank are sent to Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and once they are acknowledged, I add those documents to our records.

How did you get into banking?
I got a position with FNBO back in 2016 in Flood Compliance. After a few years of doing that, I got a promotion as a Business Associate I at FNBO headquarters. I wanted to get back into Compliance as it where I was able to accomplish the most in my professional career so when an opportunity as a Compliance Specialist came up with WCB I applied for it and got the position. I have been in this position with WCB for almost 4 years now.

Why is banking a great career?
For me, banking is a great career because I get the opportunity to help out people. Compliance gives me the opportunity to monitor transactions to help make sure that people who bank with us aren't being taken advantage of by those who want to do so.

Share your favorite book, podcast or quote. Why is it your favorite?
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time." - Barack Obama

I've been in Compliance for the better part of 13 years total. Compliance is very important for any financial institution as it is a means of regulating and monitoring day to day banking.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
I am a commercial real estate lender and also lead a team of five other lenders at our Ralston branch.

How did you get into banking?
I started my banking career through an internship program as a senior in high school. I fell in love with banking right out of the gate and have been doing it now for over 20 years.

Why is banking a great career?
I've always enjoyed helping customers with their financial goals. It's a great feeling gaining a customer's trust to manage their money.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
Family values are an important part of the Hispanic heritage. I always try to make a personal connection with all my customers. This creates a strong friendship which helps maintain a good banking relationship for years.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
I open new accounts for checking, savings, IRA and business accounts. I help customers with account deposits/withdrawals, loan clerk duties, internet banking, credit applications and translating for Spanish-speaking customers.

How did you get into banking?
I always loved math in high school. My sister had heard about a job opening for a teller. Here I am, nine years later.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is a great career because you have so many options. From teller, to bookkeeping, to loan clerk or loan officer. There are so many paths one can take in the banking world. It’s always evolving and there are new procedures/policies to learn all the time.

What is your favorite book, podcast or quote?
Roy T. Bennett – If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present. I can’t change the past or control the future, but I live every day fully with my family and friends.

In your own words, describe your role at the bank:
My role at Platte Valley Bank is anything and everything to do with bank card services. I specialize in debit cards, credit cards, & merchant services.

How did you get into banking?
My mother and older brother were with Platte Valley Bank for many years before I came on. They played a large role in my interest in banking. It just so happened that in 2018 a teller position in Gering became available and I've been with Platte Valley Companies every since.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is a great career because there is always room to grow. I learn something new every single day and am constantly challenged in really great ways.

What is your favorite book, podcast or quote?
"Focus on the step in front of you, and not the whole staircase. -Unknown"
This is my favorite quote because it is a reminder that no matter how big or how small the step is, growth is still growth.

Is there anything you'd like to add about your family heritage or what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?
Hispanic Heritage Month means a lot to me because it is who I am. I am extremely proud to be a part of the Hispanic Culture and am so grateful to work for a company who supports our diverse community.