Strategies to Thrive

The Unprecedented Guide to High-Performance Banking
WINTER 2010 | $7.95
EMPLOYEE
Is
Disengagement
Killing Your
Profit?
10
Profit-Makeover
Strategies
to Thrive
in 2010
Secrets to
Re-energize
your team
Getting GREAT
Things to Happen
at Your Bank
Deposits,
Deposits,
Deposits,
How to Get Deposits NOW!
Exclusive
Stephen M.R. Covey
Interview

Getting
Great Things
to
Roxanne sat down to
talk with Martin Rowe,
President and CEO of First
Eldorado Bancshares in
Eldorado, Illinois, and Kevin
Beckemeyer, President
and CEO of Legence Bank,
subsidiary of the First
Eldorado Bancshares, about
the recent extraordinary
success of Legence Bank.
Legence Bank serves
Southern Illinois and the
Evansville, Indiana areas.
we were a few years ago about how to do
that, and there’s always a lot more to learn.
What have been some of the best things that
you’ve figured out about how to get the right
people in the right seats on the bus?
Kevin: One thing we’ve learned is not to
delay. If we wait around and don’t make
needed changes, it costs a tremendous
amount of money.
Roxanne Emmerich: You’ve done a
lot of things right, you’re running a high
performing bank, and in spite of people
saying “Let’s do a recession,” you’re just
not participating in that. What are the things
you’ve done that you think have been the
most critical in making sure that great things
are still happening?
Martin Rowe: We know that we have a
tremendous opportunity right now to gather
new customers who are fed up with the
mega banks. We work to communicate a
clear vision to our employees, focusing
on outstanding customer service and
bringing value to our customers. When our
customers are successful, we are successful.
Another thing that we’ve benefitted from is
networking with other banks. For example,
by being a part of the CEO Network—
comprised of 190 typically high-performing
banks of various sizes—we get a lot of
ideas about what other people are doing.
In fact, that’s where we heard about you.
Kevin Beckemeyer: Bottom line is we try
to get out and expose ourselves to different
ways of doing things in the banking business.
If we were to sit here in Eldorado and close
our eyes and ears to any idea, I guarantee
nothing big would be going on for us right
now. We’re investing in enthusiastic people
who work with us to bring about results that
we can get even more enthusiastic about.
Martin:
Like coming up to your
Boot Camps to network with other
people and hear your approach. That’s
been huge.
Roxanne:
You mention that getting the
right people on board has really helped
advance your bank. I want to delve deeper
into this idea. We’re all a lot smarter than
Martin: And this has sometimes been a
problem. We pride ourselves on being a
compassionate family institution; we have
had people who have worked here for 60
years, and several 20-30 year folks. It’s
important to us, but one of our struggles is
we have let some things go too long, even
though we know that it’s causing problems.
That’s what we’re trying to do, learn how to
act faster in situations that are not going to
work out.
Legence Bank Executive Team
Standing: Martin Rowe, Alan Hoskins, Kirk Knight, Lynn Byrd
Seated: Wayne Garrett, Betty Brannock, Kevin Beckemeyer, Marsha Johnston
8 Extraordinary Banker Winter 2010 www.EmmerichFinancial.com

Happen at Your Bank
®
The roll outs, the daily huddles, all of that is generating so
much excitement to be together. We didn’t have that in the past.
The morning huddles are just phenomenal...
Kevin:
We’ve been doing the testing,
we had done predictive index but on
your recommendation we’re moving to
ZERORISK [Hiring System] and are very
excited about that.
Martin: We always did the testing, but
people were getting hired without looking at
the test results! And then when things didn’t
work out, we’d go out and look at the tool
and spot the problem, so we’re getting more
serious about looking at the results before
the hire.
Kevin: Hopefully you’re increasing your
chances of making a great hire. That’s the
reason for doing these things—getting the
right people doing the right jobs.
Gotta have it! I need my
coffee and a huddle.
Roxanne: What else have you done well to
create great results?
Kevin: We started in June with the Kick-
Butt Kick-Off and employees took off
with it. We then sent the Hoopla Team
up for training and they came back excited,
charged, and ready to go. The Hoopla Team
has done a phenomenal job of rolling
out Moments of Truth, teaching service
standards in a fun way with skits like
a “Project Runway” takeoff to demonstrate
inappropriate and appropriate business
dress, complete with a red carpet, and
a Seinfeld “No Soup for You” skit
for customer greeting standards. The
roll outs, the daily huddles, all of that
is generating so much excitement to be
together. We didn’t have that in the past.
The morning huddles are just phenomenal,
the positive vibes from all the folks. In the
past we had people who would do their work
and that was about it, having relationships
with other employees was rare. Now people
are taking on leadership roles, breaking out
of their shells and making things happen
like you wouldn’t believe. They’re
developing strong relationships with other
folks in other departments AND our other
branches and locations.
Roxanne: What’s so magical about these
huddles? What makes them work so well?
Kevin: We are honest with each other.
We are gaining so much trust with
each other—and that’s huge! One of
the biggest things developing from
the huddle is learning how to help and
support each other, especially if someone
runs into a problem.
Martin: And like you said, assigning
responsibility to people who otherwise
wouldn’t get involved—that means the world
to them, you know they’re going to have your
back. We try to show appreciation for great
individual and team efforts, and start with a
positive focus at our huddle every day. Kevin
says it’s like a morning cup of coffee.
Kevin: Gotta have it! I need my coffee and
a huddle.
Roxanne: Oh, I LOVE that! So what’s
next for you? Let’s go out five years from
today. Your dreams have come true. What
does that look like?
Kevin: We implement the best Top 100 and
Top 1,000 program around, continue to have
a great place to work, continue to grow and
grow profitably, enjoy getting out of bed in
the morning, increase our family, and get
more brothers and sisters on board!
Roxanne: Fabulous. Well this was fun,
thanks so much for your time!
Martin: Thank you, Roxanne!
Kevin: It’s been a real pleasure.
For a special report on how to
transform your culture, call us
at 952-820-0360 TODAY!
Legence Bank Hoopla Team®
Lynn Byrd, Martin Rowe, Jennifer Jansing, Steve Markin, Ginger Hampton,
Marv Swan, Melissa Davis, Cara Maddox, Tom Dunaway, Kevin Beckemeyer
www.EmmerichFinancial.com Extraordinary Banker Winter 2010 9