NBA Honors Leaders in Financial Education

The Nebraska Bankers Association presented the Leaders in Financial Education (LiFE) Awards at the NBA Annual Convention in La Vista. The awards are given in recognition of efforts by banks and bankers to promote financial education in their communities.

The following were honored for their outstanding contributions to financial education:

LiFE Honors List
Banks that meet at least seven of a list of criteria including hosting interns, operating an in-school savings bank, giving financial literacy presentations and other activities, are named to the LiFE Honors List.

• Cornerstone Bank, York
  
• Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg
  
• Midwest Bank, Norfolk
  
• NebraskaLand Bank, North Platte
  
• Platte Valley Bank, North Bend
  
• RVR Bank, Fremont
  
• Thayer County Bank, Hebron
  
• Union Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln
  
• Waypoint Bank, Cozad
  

Presentation Award
One bank from each of the three deposit size categories is eligible for this award. The categories are: Small, $100 million or less; Medium, $101 to 350 million; and Large, $351 million or more. The banks that receive this award have made the largest number of Get Smart About Credit, Teach Children to Save and other financial literacy presentations.

• Medium – Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg
  
• Large – Union Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln
  

Bank Innovation Awards
This year, four NBA-member banks received this award for implementing an innovative way to improve financial literacy in their communities.

• Midwest Bank, Norfolk
  
• Platte Valley Bank, North Bend
  
• Thayer County Bank, Hebron
  
• Union Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln
  

Midwest Bank
In 2022, Midwest Bank in Norfolk recognized that the financial needs of Hispanic communities in its regions were not being sufficiently met. The bank formed a committee to help develop Spanish-language resources, including a financial literacy curriculum and a dedicated webpage translated into Spanish. Last year, the bank connected with Tyson Foods in Madison to offer financial education to 350 employees. Midwest Bank is also active in the Hispanic Business Council through the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and has sponsored multiple cultural events in the Norfolk area.

Platte Valley Bank
In conjunction with its in-school savings bank, Platte Valley Bank in North Bend has developed a community partner program. Through this program, local businesses sign up to attend the students’ deposit day and contribute real dollars to their savings accounts. The bank recognizes each community partner through school flyers, electronic school alerts, posters displayed during the deposit day, a banner on the bank’s website and a thank-you ad in the local newspaper. Since the inception of the program, over $2,500 has been added to the student’s in-school savings bank accounts.

Thayer County Bank
Thayer County Bank in Hebron developed a video project with its in-school savings bank at Thayer Central Community School. The sixth-grade tellers at the in-school branch learned about identity theft and how to prevent it. Using this knowledge, they helped create a script and costumes and worked with a professional videographer to record two videos on protecting yourself from identity theft. The videos were shown over 320 times before movies at the local volunteer community theater in Hebron. The community had a first-hand look at how youth took an active role in helping educate others on an important area of financial literacy.

Union Bank & Trust Co
Union Bank & Trust Co. in Lincoln partnered with CEDARS, a nonprofit that helps those who face challenges related to financial stability, stable housing and other basic needs. Poverty is often considered a leading predictor of child maltreatment. The bank offers monthly financial literacy workshops to such families at CEDARS’ Northbridge location. This partnership, made possible through a grant awarded by Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, aims to offer financial education for vulnerable families with children. Financial incentives and matched savings will be available from the grant funds to CEDARS families who participate in the bank-facilitated workshops. The bank also will provide families with children’s books from “Thinking Money for All Kids: Diverse and Inclusive Reads to Teach Young People About Money.”

Career Award
This award is presented to a banker who has been an asset to leading the bank's financial literacy efforts for at least five years.

• Luke Rickertsen, Flatwater Bank, Gothenburg
  

Rickertsen joined Flatwater Bank in 2000. He currently serves as president of the bank and understands the importance of children having a solid financial foundation. Fifteen years ago, he teamed up with Nate Wyatt, chief financial officer at the bank, to introduce EverFi to high school students. Rickertsen was also instrumental in implementing a program similar to EverFi, called Vault, for local fifth-grade students. Last year, he helped spearhead the establishment of two in-school savings banks in Brady and Gothenburg. He took time to write personal cards congratulating students with 100% participation, as well as notes to students who had yet to get involved. Rickertsen is a member of the Gothenburg TeamMates board and a TeamMate mentor. He serves on the NBA Board of Directors, Government Relations Committee and BankPAC Committee. He is also an alumnus of the NBA Leadership Class of 2008.