Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 3

98 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 3 S ince 1902, Flatwater Bank has been proudly providing top- quality banking services from its community of origin in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Prioritizing customer relationships, employee satisfaction, and community outreach have been the standard for the family-owned bank since the beginning. The goal of H.L. Williams, the original founder, was to help finance local farmers, and 120 years later, agriculture remains a primary driver for the institution, not only at the Gothenburg location but also in the two additional branches in Brady and Ansley. Originally called Gothenburg State Bank, the name was changed to Flatwater Bank in 2019. The name Flatwater was chosen to honor the past, as the word Nebraska derives from the American Indian term “Nebrathka” meaning “flat water”. It also represents the bank’s approach to serving customers, steady and calm. As a family-owned bank, relationships are the foundation of Flatwater Bank’s business model. Positive relationships with customers, communities, and employees can be attributed to the bank’s success for more than a century. “We’ve had customers that have been here since they started their business or farming operation,” relates bank President Luke Rickertsen. The willingness to help others is made evident when reflecting on the pandemic. At the beginning of COVID, Flatwater rose to the challenge of understanding available assistance for customers and how to get AT A GLANCE FLATWATER BANK WHAT: A family-owned community bank, established in 1902 WHERE: Headquarters in Gothenburg, Nebraska WEBSITE: www.flatwater.bank BANK The steady and calm approach