Our Two Cents

Local Stories
Local Stories
Agribusiness Business Common Cents on the Prairie™ Fraud Prevention
Giving Back Insuring Your Success Local Stories Mortgage
Our History Personal Banking Resources Tea With Teammates
Transportation Values & Culture Wealth Management Women in Business
Cindy Peterson sits in front of a microphone for the Common Cents on the Prairie podcast.

Maximizing your giving impact: Founder of local nonprofit consulting firm shares insights

Common Cents on the Prairie™

Cindy Peterson wants everyone to view themselves as a philanthropist, whether that means giving of your time, talent, or treasure. The founder and CEO of Maximizing Excellence, a nonprofit consulting firm in Sioux Falls, joined our podcast, Common Cents on...
Nancy Savage, owner of Child's Play Toys, holding a stuffed cat amidst racks of girls' clothing.

Get to know Sioux Falls toy store Child’s Play Toys

Women in Business

She’s exactly what you’d imagine a toy store owner to be. Like a character straight out of a movie about a magic toy shop. Except Nancy Savage is the magic of Child’s Play Toys. Brimming with energy and radiating joy...
Erin Rallis hangs wedding dresses in the window of Sioux Falls bridal shop Marie and Marie Bridal.

Get to know Sioux Falls bridal shop Marie and Marie Bridal

Women in Business

Some people claim they can read their sibling’s mind. For sisters Erin Rallis and Kayla Thompson, that sentiment just might be more than hyperbole. “Marie and Marie Bridal feels like one of those things that was meant to be,” said...
Michael Bender, Adam Cox, and Jean Bender posing for a group photo.

Michael and Jean Bender discuss Bender Companies, money story at our live podcast event

Common Cents on the Prairie™

If Michael and Jean Bender were to sum up their money story, it would be that opposites attract. He was raised to be a spender, while she was raised to be so frugal that a fried shrimp basket felt like...
A construction crew moving First National Bank's eagle statue off the top of their building.

Becoming FIRST: The surprising history of The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

In 1976, a construction crew stood, hands on hips and squinting into the sun, wondering how on earth they were going to lower the 10,000-pound limestone eagle to the ground. The regal statue had been perched above Phillips Avenue in...
The lobby of Minnehaha National Bank in the 20th century.

Becoming FIRST: The Reputation Chapter

Imagine it’s 1885 in Sioux Falls and you’re about to board a train for Chicago. The railway snakes hundreds of miles across the lonely prairie, and those miles set these cities worlds apart. How so? The money in your wallet...
Dolly Parton with Bill Baker and family in Sioux Falls in 2002.

Becoming FIRST: The Dolly Chapter

We give back to our communities in three primary ways: time, talent, and treasure. At First National Bank, we offer our collective time to help those who need it, talents to serve those who will benefit most, and treasure to...
First National Bank's downtown Sioux Falls location from 1929 to 1976.

Becoming FIRST: The Business Chapter

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. One month later, on January 13, 1942, William Wiswall (W. W.) Baker formally stepped to the helm of First National Bank as the nation was thrust into war. For Americans, everything...
First National Bank's leadership team celebrating 100 years in business with a large cake.

Becoming FIRST: The Crisis Chapter

If 140 years of doing business have taught us anything, it’s that every generation is tested. And with every test, our FIRST Values have shone brightly through even our darkest hours. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly proved to be one of...
An old photo of an Advantage ATM outside a First National Bank branch.

Becoming FIRST: The Advantage Chapter

Innovation is the bedrock of positive evolution. Everything we do is engineered to improve our customer experience. So, a touchstone question we ask of every new program is, “Does this idea have a clear opportunity to grow?” That is, does...
Older Articles
Newer Articles