Episode 62
In this celebratory episode of Banking on Business 2, Retail Bank Officer and Senior Vice President Meredith Strieff and Chief Banking Officer Steve Leaman join the show to discuss an extraordinary milestone: Horicon Bank being named the #1 bank in Wisconsin on Forbes’ America’s Best-In-State Banks list.
Meredith and Steve dive into what this national recognition truly represents—not just competitive rates or modern digital tools, but deep-seated trust, associate dedication, and an unwavering commitment to community. Together, they reflect on the bank’s 130-year legacy as a family- and employee-owned institution, sharing how their "C.A.R.E." philosophy guides everything from branch interactions to community boardrooms, and how Horicon Bank continues to evolve its digital capabilities to enhance, rather than replace, personal connection.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic Canadian geese migration over the Horicon Marsh, Meredith and Steve deliver powerful insights on shared leadership, why authentic relationships can never be commoditized, and how collective teamwork sets the stage for the next 130 years of growth.
Episode Highlights:
03:55 - In a world where products and services and products and rates for that matter can be matched, relationships can't. So we focus on building those relationships with our customers, and truly it comes down to building trust to be able to have those relationships. Everything else is absolutely important, but it all leads back to that ability to build trust.
05:56 - We can have good products, we can have good rates, we can have good digital, we can have good technology... But the associates are the story behind this, and it's all of us from every aspect of this. And what the customer remembers most or what differentiates is not what rate I'm yielding on this or what bell or whistle my checking account has, but it is that interaction.
09:57 - Technology is super important. It's in all of our lives every single day. We're not gonna run away from it, we're gonna embrace it, but we also have to make sure that it doesn't make getting help or getting that personal connection more difficult. It should enhance that.
13:30 - It's a good reminder that nobody accomplishes much on their own, and sometimes leadership means that you have to step up and be in that lead role, and sometimes it means falling back and supporting that person who's in that lead role. And truly, it just, to me, is that we're all stronger when we work together and when we work as a team.