Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 1

76 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 Jacobson notes, “Our relationship banking focus has been a major selling point for us over the years because we don’t just sell loans but go in deep with our clients into their businesses and help them find the right solutions that will help them meet their objectives.” Besides its commercial services, NebraskaLand Bank also has community-focused initiatives that give back to society, including NebraskaLand University – a free financial literacy training program for high-school seniors. “NebraskaLand University is a six-session program taught by our senior leadership from October through to April every year,” shares Kimberly A. Schroll, Chief Operating Officer at NebraskaLand Bank. “The course covers various topics, including budgeting, using credit wisely, and saving. Mike (Jacobson) leads a session that teaches how to build wealth, borrowing from principles in the book ‘The Millionaire Next Door’. After the sessions, participants write an essay that can win real estate (CRE), which makes up a considerable chunk of its business credit business. “Over the years, we found that working with businesses was easier from a financial evaluation standpoint because most have quality financials that we can look at,” says Jacobson. “These financials allow us to offer them better advice and counsel relating to what they are doing. At the same time, we also found that most of our losses were consumer credit-related, which compelled us to further focus on business banking.” From this focus, the bank has grown into the most prominent business banking entity in a market of 25,000 residents, while competing with 13 other banks and two credit unions. 