GATE CITY BANK’S key to success:

Being a female leader in a male-dominated industry like banking has historically meant facing the glass ceiling. However, at Gate City Bank, a longstanding focus on building leaders based on their abilities has resulted in a culture that fosters growth and leadership opportunities for women.

The national average of women in banking who occupy a management role is a staggering 30.8 percent, according to financial regulation and compliance firm, Trupoint Partners. At Gate City Bank, not only do women have a seat at the table, they are making decisions that are imperative to the future success of the bank. Over 70 percent of the company’s leadership team are women and they bring unique perspectives and innovation to accounting, data strategies, compliance, culture and more.

“In 1997, when I joined the management team at the bank, I was the only female at the table. Today, five women out of nine represent the executive team,” says Kim Meyer, executive vice president and chief human resource officer. “The female leaders and their commitment to our customers, communities and team members have a direct impact on the success of the bank.”

As most things go, this wasn’t always the case. Meyer reflected on a policy from 1961 which stated that women were done working at five months of pregnancy until three months after their baby was born, with no guarantee of a job upon their return. When new team members joined the bank in 1977, they received a handbook which included advice such as how to shape your eyebrows and appropriate apparel — skirts and panty hose were required.

While times have changed, Gate City Bank has gone above and beyond to empower and expand opportunities for women. What is Gate City Bank doing to provide a better way of life for female team members? The answer to this starts from the top.

Gate City Bank’s executive chair and chair of the board, Steve Swiontek, is passionate about supporting women in leadership roles and mentoring them to success. “I look for leaders that are innovative, creative, constantly asking why and taking initiative without asking permission. Our diverse leadership team gives us a competitive edge and provides new perspective on how we can deliver an exceptional customer experience,” says Swiontek.

We sat down with a few of the female members of the Gate City Bank leadership team to uncover key themes that define their organization and create a thriving culture for women leaders.

“We invest in our team members and are committed to making their lives better by providing competitive compensation and excellent benefits,” says Heather Rye, senior vice president of human resources and development.

These benefits coupled with a family-friendly culture — including 12 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, four weeks of fully paid paternity and adoption leave, and generous paid time off — equate to greater job satisfaction and increased team member retention. A designated infant-friendly workplace, the bank provides private and secure rooms to support nursing mothers as they transition back to work. ››

“I love the 8-week course plan the MBA program follows. You are able to set your own pace and enroll in however many classes you think is manageable.”

- Brittany Gapinski, St. Michael, Minnesota Specialize in areas such as:

“It meant everything to be able to spend those first 12 weeks and all those firsts with my son,” says Stacy Smith, executive manager. “I am so grateful the bank allows their team members to do this, and they realize that family comes first, and family is most important.”

Gate City Bank leaders are also trained to assist team members in developing clearly defined career paths within the company.

“Opportunities for females to advance their careers through the bank’s development programs include an Emerging Leaders Program, mentorships and job-shadowing. Continuing education and trainings are also ways we invest in professional and personal development. If a team member wants to attend an external program or training, we are going to support that and are excited about their passion for self-development,” says Rye.

Gate City Bank provides paid volunteer hours and matches their volunteer time with a monetary donation. Additionally, the bank encourages philanthropy to charities throughout North Dakota and Minnesota by matching up to $1,000 per year, per team member.

“One of the greatest gifts of working at Gate City Bank is our powerful connections to community partners. We love giving back,” says Kim Settel, executive vice president of retail banking and lending.

“Since 2003, we’ve been able to make a $27 million charitable impact and dedicate 222,000 hours to team member volunteerism,” says Amanda Torok, senior vice president of culture. “Working with team members and non-profits to make a difference in our communities has been a very rewarding experience.”

Gate City Bank’s commitment to supporting women extends beyond the workplace. The bank donated $1.5 million to Grace Garden, a YWCA supportive housing program with space for 30 families at risk of homelessness and many who are escaping domestic violence. The largest gift in the YWCA Cass Clay history will also provide educational, financial and emotional outreach support to help families successfully transition into their own safe living situations.

“When we announced our commitment to the Grace Garden project in 2017, we were excited to build upon our long-standing partnership with the YWCA. We are so proud to see our gift provide the resources needed to help women and their children on their journey to a better life,” says Swiontek.

As part of Gate City Bank’s commitment to bettering the lives of residents at Grace Garden, team members are providing creative solutions to help establish credit and provide financial education to both parents and children for a financially sound future.

“Focusing on these opportunities to foster growth and community impact have made Gate City Bank an employer of choice and directly support our unique culture, team member retention and recruitment efforts,” says Kevin Hanson, president and CEO of Gate City Bank.

“Our leaders at Gate City Bank come from many different backgrounds and experiences,” says Amy Durbin, executive vice president of data strategies and marketing. “But the one attribute they have in common is that they are influencers. Female or male, our leaders strive to motivate, mentor and lead by example. One of the things I am most proud of is being able to show my daughters that female executives are the norm, not the exception.”