Business View Magazine l October 2022

97 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10 F IDEL I TY BANK , NORTH CAROL INA sound, and profitable bank that businesses and families come to first – and bank with for life. Willis adds that the top priority is safety and soundness. “We invest in our people, our customers, our communities. We focus on adding technologies to better service our customers and continue offering the products they need. We are a community bank, but we can do anything a large bank can do. It’s the people who differentiate our bank from other banks. It’s true relationship banking.” The Bank culture of “Right by You” is one that has been adopted by Fidelity’s 503 employees. As Laurel LaBonte, Chief HR Officer explains, “Our associates share our same values and beliefs around customer service and customer success, always trying to find the right benefit-oriented and financial solution for our customers. It’s not a bank that would push a product or service on customers to result in profit for the bank.” Fidelity Bank also extends the same level of respect and care to their associates, resulting in long tenures and people who really care about the communities they serve. “Our employees are very committed to our communities, they are very active, they volunteer,” says LaBonte. “The Bank is also focused on a commitment to the diversity of our employee base. We have a genuine concern for other people, and it is an environment where we respect employee differences and opinions. It is also an environment where we put employees, families and their work life balance as a top priority.” An annual meeting every February provides an opportunity for the Bank to celebrate their employees, highlighting exemplary work and service anniversaries. Although this event is completely voluntary, attendance is high, with at least 85% of the Bank’s 500 plus employees joining in. LaBonte explains, “It’s a half-day meeting where we give a recap of our successes