Bob Baker

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Becoming FIRST Common Cents on the Prairie™ Tea With Teammates Women in Business
2024 2023 2022 2021

Female founder Stacy Havener shares journey from underdog to success story

Common Cents on the Prairie™

“In a world full of men who love numbers, there was a place for a girl who loved words.” Long before she was a successful entrepreneur, Stacy Havener came from humble beginnings: a latchkey kid, with divorced parents, in a blue-collar family from a working-class town.

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 downtown Sioux Falls since before the street was paved.

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 is the key. First National Bank was founded in 1885 as Minnehaha National Bank.

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 support the causes we’re passionate about.

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 changed. The war had already raged for years, but try as we might, the U.S.

Becoming FIRST: The Crisis Chapter

If more than 135 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 those tests. Financial First Responders Imagine this scene. It’s 11:00 p.m. in downtown Sioux Falls.

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 it make for a cleaner, tidier, and more efficient experience while creating fresh growth opportunities.

Becoming FIRST: The Values Chapter

We live by our motto: “We build successful relationships.” The entire organization expands together, meaning we honor a commitment to growth where no one gets left behind. How do we do this? As a team who finds the right spot, right now, for everyone. Accountability to High Standards Ultimately, our standards are our FIRST Values.

Lessons in family business learned from Spiderman, growing up with First National Bank

Much has been written about family businesses in America. They produce the majority of the U.S. GDP, employ more than half of U.S. workers, and are the lifeblood of building our great nation. At The First National Bank in Sioux Falls, we love working with and supporting family businesses because we are one.

Business owners can take away valuable lessons from recent fraud attempt

Our Operations team recently shut down a fraud attempt in the amount of more than $221,000 — a scheme hinging on a small business’s check that had been intercepted by the fraudsters. According to the Federal Trade Commission, bank transfers and payments accounted for the highest losses ($1.86 billion) from scams in 2023.
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