CEObuilder and Bank of American Fork invite you to join us on Friday, March 1, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. for a forum and presentation by Mike Neklason, President, Sandler Training of Utah. Neklason’s presentation and the forum will focus on sales management best practices. You might have missed our CEObuilder event in February, and this forum will focus on the same topic, adapted to key executive officers! You can also join the conversation on Twitter at #ceobuilder or LinkedIn.
Are the words sales and management an oxymoron? Do you ever wonder if you have the right people on your team? Is accountability a positive element of your culture?
There is no escaping it. Whether your business is local, regional or global, in today’s complex business environment, management and leadership skills are fundamental to success. Business owners must lead their organizations, sales managers must lead their sales teams and sales professionals must lead their clients and prospective clients.
The workshop will focus on:
• Hiring and developing A-player professional managers and sales people.
• The key metrics for success in your business.
• A framework and process for holding team members accountable.
• Coaching and interacting with the sales team for improved results.
• Redefining the 80/20 rule in your management.
• Increasing the courage, confidence and self-esteem of your team.
• Becoming a more effective communicator.
• The inter-relationship of behavior, attitude and technique.
This event is open to anyone interested.
The event will be at Cirrus Systems, 1991 W. Parkway Blvd., West Valley City. Please RSVP by Feb. 27 here or by calling 801-642-3139.
On February 27, Bank of American Fork will be honoring one of its most industrious, highly regarded executives, Larry Miner, as he retires after almost 45 years of service to the bank. He retires as a senior vice president, chief operating officer and one of the longest-tenured associates at Bank of American Fork. Refreshments will be served at the American Fork branch, 33 E. Main Street, from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and anyone who would like to wish Miner well in his retirement is invited to come.
Miner began working at Bank of American Fork to earn income and get a jump on the job market while he was in school at Brigham Young University. The bank hired him in September 1968 to work from 2-4 p.m. at the walk-up teller. He graduated with a degree in business management and accounting economics in 1970. The bank hired him full-time—he had a strong work ethic and pleasant personality. At that time the bank had fewer than 20 employees. Miner saw the bank grow to more than 300 employees by the time he retired.
Miner advanced through the bank, working as a collections agent, assistant cashier and cashier. The bank added additional branches and Miner became responsible as the chief financial officer and later the chief operating officer. Miner served as secretary to the board of directors for many years. His prudent financial management kept expenses in check.
Miner is active in the community and served as the director, secretary and treasurer of the Highland Water Company for many years and as a board member and president of the American Fork Chamber of Commerce. He continues to serve the community through various charities and civic organizations.
Miner remembers the bank establishing a reputation for state-of-the-art products. During his first few years at the bank—the late ‘60s and early ‘70s—Miner remembers the beginning of a progressive era for the bank. He recalls the excitement when the bank purchased its first computer and held an open house for the excited community—an important piece of history to reflect on as the bank looks back to its 100 years during its centennial year. Miner’s history with Bank of American Fork and memory has proved to be a valuable resource, along with the other great contributions he has made.
“Larry is a living example of the value of the bank,” said Richard Beard, president and CEO of Bank of American Fork. “He has been concerned that customers feel valued and cared for while balancing compliance, regulatory and risk issues facing the banking industry.”
Miner has been an integral part of Bank of American Fork and will be missed by many.
Larry Miner seals a 100-year time capsule at Bank of American Fork's Centennial Kick-off Celebration. The capsule contains current bank paraphernalia, a smartphone, historical floorboards dug up in recent renovations and more.
CEObuilder and Bank of American Fork invite you to join us on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 to hear a presentation by Mike Neklason, President, Sandler Training of Utah. Neklason’s presentation and the forum will focus on sales management best practices.
Are the words sales and management an oxymoron? Do you ever wonder if you have the right people on your team? Is accountability a positive element of your culture?
There is no escaping it. Whether your business is local, regional or global, in today’s complex business environment, management and leadership skills are fundamental to success. Business owners must lead their organizations, sales managers must lead their sales teams and sales professionals must lead their clients and prospective clients.
The workshop will focus on:
• Hiring and developing A-player professional managers and sales people.
• The key metrics for success in your business.
• A framework and process for holding team members accountable.
• Coaching and interacting with the sales team for improved results.
• Redefining the 80/20 rule in your management.
• Increasing the courage, confidence and self-esteem of your team.
• Becoming a more effective communicator.
• The inter-relationship of behavior, attitude and technique.
This event is open to anyone interested.
The event will be at Bank of American Fork, Riverton Branch Conference Room, 2691 West 12600 South, Riverton. Please RSVP by Feb. 18 here or by calling 801-642-3139.
The simple truth is that most physically dangerous situations can be avoided by paying attention to what is going on around you—situational awareness. Always keep your eyes open and pay attention to what is going on. You have probably heard these tips before, but do you consistently follow them?
Protect your bank account information:
o Be careful when using your debit / credit cards that observers do not see your pin and card number. The guy behind you might look harmless, but, like your mom says, “It’s better safe than sorry.”
o Cards are easily counterfeited. Watch out for people around ATMs and for suspicious equipment or devices at ATMs. Thieves may be trying to observe you or electronically capture your transaction (pin, card number, etc.).
o Don’t leave your ATM receipts behind – they can be useful to thieves observing your ATM activity.
o Monitor your bank accounts for fraudulent activity and report any lost or stolen checks or cards immediately. Phishing is growing.
Always be careful with your own private information:
o Your very personal U.S. mail is a big security risk. Be sure to pick up your mail promptly.
o Unsolicited credit card applications, private medical records and financial records can be stolen from your mailbox and used against you. Remember to shred junk mail offering you a credit card just as you would shred bank statements.
o Don’t throw out anything with private information on it; it needs to be shredded.
o Don’t mail checks from your outside mailbox. They can be easily stolen and altered or counterfeited. Instead, mail your bills from a more secure location, like from work or directly from the post office.
o Monitor your own credit reports to watch for any fraudulent activity using your name. The U.S. Congress requires the three major credit bureaus to give you one free report on yourself once per year. You can request a report from one credit bureau now and then in four months from a second bureau. Then in eight months, request a report from the third credit bureau. That way you get a fresh report every four months.
o Bank of American Fork offers a service for businesses called “positive pay.” This computerized system receives data directly from the business as checks are issued. It then confirms that each check that clears the Bank exactly matches the list of checks that were issued. This stops counterfeit and altered checks cold.
You can read more security tips here.
“Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, James Hadfield, Mayor of American Fork City, Utah, declare February 5, 2013 as Bank of American Fork Day.”
On January 22, Mayor Hadfield made an official proclamation at the American Fork city council meeting about Bank of American Fork. The branch on Main Street has been a part of American Fork for 100 years today.
On February 5, 1913, People’s State Bank of American Fork was incorporated. The bank was located at 51 E. Main Street in American Fork. The founders were residents of American Fork—a doctor, a merchant, farmers and other businessmen—who were invested in the community and wanted to open a bank as a business venture and service to the community. These founders were Joseph H. Storrs, William Thornton, Hans Christensen, John Franklin Noyes, James H. Clarke, Sidney Nicholes and William Henry Chipman.
Early bank employees built a foundation for Bank of American Fork. Clifford Young raised $200,000 and secured promises to defer withdrawal from depositors in order to safely reopen the bank in 1932, after a brief closure. Young put his own finances on the line and worked tirelessly, and customers, shareholders and new investors trusted him. He taught that the safety and security of customers is the top priority.
Edith Christensen was an early bank associate who loved numbers from the time she was young, and was known for adding ledger columns in her head to test her accuracy. She referred to her brain as an “adding machine,” and knew one mistake could cost a customer or the bank. Today associates do not have to keep ledgers manually, but Christensen set a standard for careful and attentive work that has carried over today.
Orville Gunther was a bank president who espoused the philosophy, “The primary responsibility of the bank is to deal fairly with customers and be satisfied with reasonable profits.” These early bank employees—and many others—exemplified principles that would later become part of Bank of American Fork’s purpose statement: “We exist to strengthen individuals and communities by providing safe financial services with exceptional care.”
In the early ‘20s, the bank moved from its shared offices at 51 East Main Street to its current location, 33 East Main Street, the Progress building—less than a block away. In 1963 People’s State Bank of American Fork shortened its name to Bank of American Fork. Now, less of the customers are sheep farmers. But Bank of American Fork’s commitment to the community is the same.
In our American Fork branch we have tellers like Linda, who customers will wait in line for because she knows their name and their needs. Even though we have more customers than we did in 1913 and we’ve grown from two employees to 300, our commitment to you is the same—both the innovative technology and the small-town service you need.
Mayor Hadfield’s proclamation states, “Whereas, American Fork City is honored to have Bank of American Fork’s headquarters located in American Fork and looks forward to another century of Bank of American Fork serving our community with its big-city banking options and small-town service approach of excellent customer service and friendliness found in a small town.” At Bank of American Fork, we too look forward to another century of serving American Fork and the communities we have grown to be a part of!
We’re excited to tell you about the history of our other branches this year, so come back each month for a spotlight on another branch.
We take this commitment and responsibility for providing big-city banking and small-town service to our communities seriously. If you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us here or at 800-815-BANK.
Deposit checks anytime, anywhere with your mobile device.
Skip the trip to the bank and instead deposit checks by taking a photo of your check on your Apple iOS™ or Android™ mobile device and then submit it to Bank of American Fork through our mobile banking application. Your check will then be deposited electronically into your personal or business checking or savings account.
With Mobile ExpressDeposit, you don’t have to worry about business hours; you can deposit checks 24/7.
To take advantage of Mobile ExpressDeposit, select the Mobile ExpressDeposit option after logging into mobile banking at mobile.bankaf.com.
Some restrictions and fees apply.
iOS is a trademark of Apple Inc.
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Ever wish you had more hours in the working day to get it all done? At Bank of American Fork we’re committed to offering small-town service and big-city banking. One of the solutions we offer to help you run your business is our suite of online business banking products. Find out below which ones meet your needs.
Online Business Banking
Online business banking is a free service that allows business customers to manage their business bank accounts using the internet from any location at any hour, day or night. We tailored our online personal banking for businesses. It allows customers to do things like transfer funds, send ACH pay to employees and send money by wire transfer. You can grant customized account access to authorized staff, download our free security software and more. Read about more of these services below!
Positive Pay
Positive Pay is a unique fraud protection available to online business banking users. It allows business customers like you to ensure that checks they have written are cashed by the correct parties and for the correct amounts. When you choose to use Positive Pay, the information you input electronically is compared against the check presented for payment at the bank, to make sure there’s a match.
ExpressDeposit™
ExpressDeposit is a remote deposit service that allows you to electronically deposit checks into their Bank of American Fork accounts without going to a branch. Deposits are made from any location with internet access by using a small check scanning device. This will save you the time and expense of going to a branch, and you can make deposits after branches are closed.
Non-Analyzed ACH and Wires
Non-analyzed ACH or wires provides small business customers who send minimal wires or process few ACHs the ability to send wires and initiate ACH items using online business banking. One of our online banking team members can visit you for training, and then you can save time and money by paying your employees from home.
Business Bill Pay
Business Bill Pay is a simple service that allows you to make payments via the internet to any checking account without writing a check. You can set this up by clicking the PowerPay tab when you log into your online business banking account.
SaveSmart Commercial
SaveSmart Commercial is a high interest-bearing savings account offered to businesses. Because you open and access it exclusively online you can earn more on your savings and manage it all from home or your business.
ExpressCollect
ExpressCollect is an easy way for small businesses, non-profits and other organizations to accept online payments or donations directly from their customer’s bank account or with bank cards. This is idea for organizations that do have access to or the need for an online shopping cart but want to provide the convenience of online payments or donations for their customers. This may benefit business owners and managers by improving your cash flow because of timely deposits.
And now, Mobile ExpressDeposit. We’ll tell you more about it on Monday!
At Bank of American Fork we have solutions for your business to save you time and money. Talk to one of our eBanking team members by calling 800-815-BANK or go to bankaf.com and find the “live chat” button on the top right corner.
We know that you’ve made your personal resolutions, but how are you going to help your business succeed in 2013?
Guest post by Bryant Armstrong, CPA, Squire & Company, PC.
Most of us are familiar with the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It may sound a bit cliché, but it’s true! Having the necessary discipline to plan, specifically for financial expenditures, seems particularly challenging to most people. It’s difficult to voluntarily impose boundaries and restrictions on our spending. Spending money on things we want is fun and few of us have the ability to save without establishing financial goals. But without planning, we will reach the end of the month, having spent all that we earned and wonder where it went.
Here are five suggestions that may help you plan and set budgeting goals:
1. Create a budget –Budgeting can seem like a daunting task, especially if you feel you aren’t successful unless you measure everything. Start by identifying the items where you spend the most money (e.g., your mortgage or car payment) or those areas that have the least visibility, such as travel and entertainment. You will get the most reward for your efforts by focusing in these areas and gain valuable insight into where you are spending the majority of your money.
2. Start with a plan – Set goals regarding how much you want to save and for what reasons. If you have no goal to achieve and no discipline to follow through, your likelihood for success will diminish.
3. Provide incentive – Set intermediate goals and reward yourself when you achieve success. If you are budgeting for your company, include your employees in the rewards. After all, planning and budgeting often requires a change in behavior. The change will occur more rapidly if success is rewarded.
4. Write it down – The likelihood of achieving your goals decreases if they are not written down. A wise man once said, “The shortest pencil is greater than the longest memory.” There are many ways to document your plan. Most accounting packages include the ability to budget and to get reports comparing your budget against actual results. There are also online solutions or spreadsheet templates available that help you document your goals.
5. Just do it – Don’t worry about perfection or if your first attempts fall short of the results you want. The key is to start and to be diligent. Making the effort to plan and budget will help you achieve the financial results you want and will become easier with time.
This article should not be construed as legal or tax advice from Bank of American Fork. Please seek legal and tax advice from qualified legal and tax professionals.
Interested in more topics that will help you and your business? Click here for articles, or come to an event hosted by Bank of American Fork and CEObuilder.
Guest post by Richard H. Tyson, President, CEObuilder
The early months of any year bring about new resolutions and commitments, both on a personal and organizational basis. Many resolve to get healthier, to learn new things, to be kinder or to develop new competencies. In our companies, we resolve to serve our customers better, to work smarter and to make more money. Our intentions are good, reflecting high motives and gritty determination.
Unfortunately, even by the time you read these words, New Year’s Resolutions have been tossed on the garbage heap by too many of us. Why can’t we sustain these important plans and commitments? Many experts will tell you that we are not persistent enough, that we haven’t stayed on course long enough to form new habits. And they would be at least partially right. However, the problem is not merely a failure to persist.
To get at the root cause of resolution defeatism, we need to better understand the motivation to set new goals in the first place. If our motivation lights a fire under us every day—and we have a good plan of attack—our resolutions will not be defeated. So, the question is: What is the underlying motive for each of your resolutions?
One effective way to understand your motives is to use a tried and true strategic management tool: the SWOT Analysis. While generally applied to business enterprises, it applies equally well to individuals. SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Our drive to accomplish something significant in our lives, or in our businesses, is often motivated by one or more of these factors.
We may choose to build on an inherent strength or personal competence. One who possesses exceptional interpersonal skills may choose to focus on building a plan to work with others as a salesman, a teacher or an HR professional. Another who has innate problem-solving skills might set a goal to become an engineer or social scientist. Career success often comes from playing to one’s strengths.
We may be even more motivated to overcome a weakness. One struggling with poor health might resolve to become more fit, to lose weight, or to get more sleep. The key here is to choose a weakness that is not a mere annoyance. This flaw must represent a threat to your happiness, your relationships with loved ones, or even your life. Only then will it begin to light a fire under you.
Opportunities are much the same. You must feel the window closing on your chance for fame, fortune or happiness. An opportunity that can be easily shoved aside when distractions arise is insufficient to have staying power. Any great opportunity in life or business will require sacrifice to be realized.
Threats are often the most motivating. My father could never quit smoking until his doctor told him he would be dead within the year if he didn’t toss the cigarettes out, once and for all, NOW! His prior resolutions had no staying power until he was faced with the most significant threat of all: his own imminent demise.
Motivation isn’t the whole story, of course. You must have a plan that clearly sets forth the essential actions that have a high probability of bringing about success. You should have a system for measuring both those actions and the results you are achieving. And, ideally, you should have a mentor, coach, or committed friend to sustain you by holding your feet to the fire.
Executives who understand these fundamental principles can provide such sustaining actions to help their people succeed in fulfilling their personal resolutions—and in the process enjoy similar success in meeting their desired business outcomes. SWOT Analysis is an excellent tool which provides the motivational foundation for both personal and business success. If you want to SWOT it out of the park, I recommend it highly!
Come back for more from Rich Tyson next month about making plans.
Richard Tyson is the founder, principal owner and president of CEObuilder, which provides forums for consulting and coaching to executives in small businesses. For 21 years, CEObuilder has successfully brought about an outstanding financial return for CEO and executive clients through providing leading-edge content in the areas of strategizing, team-building, problem-solving and managing for results, as well as the use of proprietary learning and coaching processes.
On November 19, 2012, we officially opened the doors to our 13th branch, and first in Davis County. We’re excited to be serving the Layton community and we want to invite you to come celebrate with us at our grand opening on January 16, 2013. Come by anytime from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and we’ll have good food and great prizes. At 11:30 a.m. there will be a ribbon cutting by the Layton City Chamber and words from Richard Beard, Bank of American Fork CEO and president.
If you aren’t in Layton, stop by the branch near you for cookies!
