Arkansas Bank Aims to Provide High Level of Service for Military

“We aim to add value to the lives of our service members and their families, whether it is at home or away.” Brian Kaelin, Assistant Vice President and Regional Manager of First Arkansas Bank & Trust (FAB&T) in Jacksonville is no stranger to serving our military men and women. Over the course of the past six decades the bank has made a conscious effort to better serve their customers on the Little Rock Air Force Base. Kaelin and his team at the on-base bank branch continue to forge those strong connections. FAB&T’s relationship with the Little Rock Air Force Base began more than 60 years ago when the bank’s founder Kenneth Pat Wilson led the charge to bring the base to Jacksonville. In the early 1950s he served on the Pulaski County Committee of 100 businessmen campaigning to bring the base to Jacksonville; after the location was chosen in 1952, he served as president of the Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council. The bank opened its Little Rock Air Force Base branch in 1956 and has been serving our nation’s service members ever since. A CRUCIAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY The Little Rock Air Force Base is home to 6,995 active military members and 5,582 family members. Additionally, there are more than 50,000 retired military personnel who continue to live in the area. The base’s estimated economic impact was $469.2 million in 2016, and it ranks as the state’s seventh largest employer. “The Little Rock Air Force Base has been a huge economic engine for Jacksonville and all of central Arkansas. Those who hold active duty, guard and support jobs have spouses and family members who also contribute to the economy, so there is an exponential benefit to having the base right here in Jacksonville and that has benefited our bank,” said Mark Wilson, FAB&T’s Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. FAB&T VP and Marketing Director Roger Sundermeier was born and raised in Jacksonville, and can recount air shows

Accepting the award for 2015 United States Air Force Bank of the Year from Steven Lepper (center) were, from left, Mark Wilson, SVP and Chief Credit Officer; Larry Wilson, Chairman, President & CEO; Rhonda Banks, Little Rock Air Force Base Branch Manager; and Brian Kaelin, VP and Pulaski/Lonoke Regional Manager.

and seeing the space shuttle when it was ferried through the base in the 1980s. “Until I worked here, I don’t think I appreciated the economic engine that the air base is, I just appreciated what the base represented,” he said. “Now, knowing that these people are in our communities – spending money at our restaurants, building homes, their kids are going to school with my kids – knowing all the other pieces of it, I’m really glad that we’re a part of this.” “That’s why we, and other businesses, work so hard with the base – why we work so hard to be a partner and a true advocate for the base, and that’s why Larry Wilson and others will go to DC and lobby on behalf of the base to keep them here, because we really realize that if you pulled that out of Jacksonville, it doesn’t impact just Jacksonville, it’s Sherwood, Cabot, Beebe, Austin, North Little Rock,” said Sundermeier. “What the base represents for us is unique, and what the state has to offer the base is equally unique. And I know that the United

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Harry Brexel

States Air Force and the Department of Defense values Arkansas and specifically Jacksonville and the central Arkansas area for what they bring to the military.” In addition to the geographical and air space benefits Arkansas offers, the locale provides much needed support for military men and women, and their families. “It is crucial to have community support and involvement tailored for military families, especially for newcomers that are PCS’ing to Little Rock Air Force Base area,” said FAB&T Regulatory Lending Auditor Brandy Harris, who is also a military spouse. “A move in itself can be scary, however, having local businesses such as FAB&T show their support and offer services to assist in accommodating make a transition easier, whether it is buying a new home or needing financial advice, overall takes stress off of a service member and their family. Knowing that you have the support from locals – from the banker helping with your new home loan to the neighbor saying hello – it brings a new meaning to having comradery in your community.” Harris is one of 14 military spouses that work for FAB&T; additionally there are 19 associates who are either retired military or who have spouses who are retired military. These employees are one of several components that help the bank to keep a finger on the pulse of its military customer base. “Our membership in the Association of Military Bankers of America (AMBA) and our CEO’s service on its Board of Directors allows us to meet twice a year with military bank liaison officers to understand the financial needs of service members of all branches and help support military families so that our military service members can concentrate on their missions and not financial stresses,” Wilson said.

LENDING A VOICE FAB&T is under Department of Defense contract as the provider of finance for the base, but also provides a civilian voice of support in front of policymakers. Bank President & CEO Larry Wilson has been a longtime advocate for the base, lobbying on their behalf in Washington, D.C., and serving on Governor Asa Hutchinson’s Military Affairs Committee. “FAB&T has always encouraged our employees, particularly senior bank officers, to serve on local committees and with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce to support the Little Rock Air Force Base and airmen and families,” said Mark Wilson. “We are active in the LRAFB Community Council and that meets on a quarterly basis to hear from base leadership about what’s happening on the base and with our deployed Allie Vered, Director of America Saves, presents the 2017 America Saves Designation of Excellence to Mark Wilson and Larry Wilson for FAB&T’s efforts to promote the Military Saves program at Little Rock Air Force Base.

Col. Chip Brown presented the 2015 Air Mobility Command Bank of the Year award to Rhonda Banks, Little Rock Air Force Base Branch Manager, and Larry Wilson, Chairman, President & CEO.

personnel and any help they need from the community. We also participate in the Chamber’s annual trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with our congressional delegation and Department of Defense leadership about base issues to support the mission.” “There are a lot of moving parts, and a lot of what we do is unseen,” Kaelin said, with Sundermeier adding “and it’s not even representing the bank, it’s just representing what’s right for the community.” SUPPORTING OUR SERVICE MEMBERS The bank is a two-time winner of the U.S. Air Force Distinguished Bank of the Year, and has received the America Saves Designation of Excellence for its work in promoting the Military Saves program.

“It’s really all about financial education for service members, their families, and retirees,” Kaelin said, noting that Military Saves is a year-round campaign for FAB&T including education classes, financial contributions, and high-yield accounts. “But it’s really just educating the service members and their families – and even the retired military service members – on the importance of savings,” he said. Harris agreed that the bank’s Military Saves program is truly a standout. “Financial health and stability are vital as accumulating debt can jeopardize the service member’s career and ultimately become daunting for families,” she said. “This program is designed to motivate, support, and encourage military families to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth. Our participation in Military Saves Week includes financial awareness classes and activities surrounding basic budgeting, savings programs, and teaching children to save.” In addition to the bank’s financial education programming, FAB&T supports an array of events throughout FAB&T partnered with Wreaths Across America to provide a holiday wreath for every headstone at the Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery in 2016.

the year, including golf tournaments, career fairs, and family events. Kaelin explained that the bank’s marketing department works hand-in-hand with the base marketing department on these events. “We partner with them to make sure they’re able to pull these events off, both financially and having staff to do it,” he said. “A lot of it is weekend time also, it’s not just Monday through Friday 8-5.” One of FAB&T’s higher-profile military contributions was a partnership with Wreaths Across America in December of 2016. The bank stepped in with a $16,000 donation to insure that every soldier buried at the Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery was honored with a wreath on his or her gravesite. “We had the opportunity to take our folks over there and be a part of that ceremony and break out into groups to lay wreaths, it was extremely emotional,” Sundermeier said, adding “the community outreach was huge.” SHAPING PRODUCTS & SERVICES The military presence in their community and within the bank has allowed FAB&T to mold its products and services to the military customer. They offer Support Squadron accounts and Military Service Members accounts with no monthly service charges, as well as Air Force Aid

check cashing, U.S. Treasury accounts for OTC, redemption of savings bonds and money shipments for base finance, all at no charge. “When we build products, a lot of time, we’re looking at it with the military customer in mind. Online banking, the 24 hour call center – when you start developing these products, you start thinking about how not everything happens from 8 to 5 central time,” Sundermeier noted. “We have to be responsive enough to be able to respond appropriately in the time that’s convenient for them, we have to be there for them because ultimately they’re the reason we’re still in business.” Kaelin also noted that when the military introduced the Uniformed Service Blended Retirement System, the base branch staff reacted to better serve customers by completing coursework to becoming Blended Retirement System Financial Counselor/Educators. “So we can actually teach and inform the service members about the retirement program at no cost to them,” he said, again focusing on encouraging their customers to save. FAB&T is proud of the legacy they have built to accommodate those who have given their time and talents to serve our country. “The relationship with the air base is what makes us strong and unique. It’s not always about the profits or the products, it’s truly about the investment in the military personnel and their families,” Sundermeier said.

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