Q&A with JASE WAGNER

Getting to know Compeer’s new CEO

In January 2023, Jase Wagner became Compeer Financial’s president and CEO following the retirement of longtime leader Rod Hebrink. We sat down with Jase to help our readers get to know him better.

Cultivate: Jase, you grew up in rural America. Can you give us a short rundown of your background?

Jase: My childhood was rooted in agriculture and rural America. I grew up on a hobby farm in rural Montana, where I threw bales, hauled irrigation pipe and helped tend to the rodeo horses/animals my parents used for practice. The lessons I learned on the farm and living in the country were hugely instrumental in setting the foundation of who I am and my core values.

I left the farm and went to college at the University of Northern Colorado, where I earned my degree in accounting and finance and also played on the baseball team. Then I went to work in a few financial roles in New York and San Francisco for about eight years before moving to the Upper Midwest to join Farm Credit.

Cultivate: Tell us about your career and experience at Compeer and in the Farm Credit System.

Jase: I joined Compeer Financial nearly 15 years ago and had a couple different positions, including a role in capital management, running a division that works with community bankers across the U.S. and serving as chief financial officer before moving into the CEO role this past January. My career in Farm Credit has been phenomenal as it ties my background and values with my work. I’m grateful I get to work in a job I truly love. Compeer Financial is a mission-driven organization, and there’s great pride in the work we do to build relationships with our clients, find solutions and help them achieve their dreams.

Cultivate: What are your top priorities as president and CEO of Compeer Financial?

Jase: Compeer is in a very healthy position and continuing to grow. My priority for the cooperative is to maintain the world-class level of service we provide our clients, backed by the partnership and expertise of our team members. I’m also committed to building on our cooperative’s success and sharing that success with our clients through our patronage program.

As we continue to move the organization forward, it’s important that we are innovative and try new approaches — just as our clients are on the farm and in their businesses. We are looking for breakthroughs in products, services and efficiency — knowing that not every innovation, experiment or trial will be a winner. Ultimately, we know we’ll need to continue evolving to best support our member-owners for the long term.

As I mentioned in my CEO letter in this issue of Cultivate (see page 4), I want our organization to focus on boosting vitality in rural America. And, as I’m new to the role, it’s also essential that I listen to our clients and keenly understand what they need from us as their financial partner. Most important of all, right now, I’m focused on building trust with you, our member-owners, and the 1,300 team members at Compeer.

I am excited to serve you!

Holiday Hours

Compeer Financial will be CLOSED for business in observance of these upcoming holidays:

Memorial Day: May 29

Independence Day: July 4

Labor Day: September 4

Thanksgiving: November 23 & 24*

Christmas: December 25

*For your convenience, our CONTACT CENTER will be open for calls Friday, November 24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To reach the Contact Center, please call (844) 426-6733.

Routing Number Change

IMPORTANT: Change to Compeer’s Routing Number

Compeer Financial’s routing number has changed — our new routing number is 096016972.

Our old routing number will no longer work after December 31, 2023. This means any checks or automatic transactions using the old routing number will not be processed after this date.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Make sure your checks have the new routing number.

The routing number is the first set of numbers found at the bottom of your checks. If the checks associated with your account at Compeer Financial contain a routing number other than 096016972, you need to order new checks.

We are happy to provide you with a new box of standard checks. Call (844) 426-6733 or stop by your local Compeer office and our team will be happy to assist you.

If you have outdated checks and prefer to order from a different source, please ensure you use the new routing number 096016972 when ordering.

If your account number (the second set of numbers found at the bottom of your checks) begins with 853, 612 or 682, you need to drop the first three digits from the account number when ordering checks.

Begin using the new checks when you receive them and be sure to destroy any old checks.

Lifeworks Resource Program

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we know life in agriculture and rural America isn’t always easy. The challenges can feel overwhelming and stressful. That’s why Compeer Financial is pleased to provide our clients and their families access to our LifeWorks Resource Program. The free program confidentially connects clients with tools and resources to help navigate challenges related to work, family, life and health — whether it’s a quick question or a larger issue.

Learn more at compeer.com/ resourceprogram.

Notice:

CONSTRUCTION ALERT!

Our corporate headquarters in Sun Prairie, Wis. is temporarily relocating to 4602 S. Biltmore Lane, Suites 105-111 in Madison while our building at 2600 Jenny Wren Trail is under construction. The office is expanding to better meet the needs of our clients and team members and is expected to be finished by mid-2024.

• Update your automated and bill pay transactions.

Please review any automated clearing house (ACH) transactions associated with your accounts at Compeer and ensure routing number 096016972 is used.

For example, if you pay bills for expenses like your cell phone, utilities, insurance, etc. automatically from your Compeer Financial account, you’ll need to update all of those transactions to use routing number 096016972 going forward. This is necessary to ensure the transactions continue to be processed.

Please note that Compeer Financial cannot make any changes to these third-party ACH transactions on your behalf.

Additionally, if the account number you’ve used to set up existing transactions begins with 853, 612 or 682, you need to drop the first three digits from your account number when setting up or updating ACHs.

In the future, be sure to use the new routing number when setting up transactions and ordering checks.

Learn more at compeer.com/RoutingNumber.