BizTimes: You Joined Bank Five Nine in October 2022 as the new President & CEO. What drew you to the bank?
Tim Schneider: “I have enjoyed a long career in community banking and was looking for an opportunity to continue to lead a successful organization that fits that model. I have extensive experience throughout Wisconsin, and most recently served as a Senior Vice President at Nicolet National Bank. Prior to that, I was the CEO and Co-Founder of Investors Community Bank in Manitowoc.
Bank Five Nine has an outstanding reputation in Wisconsin, and I really like the communities that the bank serves. I look forward to continuing the tradition of strong support in those areas and have already been impressed with the bank’s culture and outstanding team.”
BizTimes: How would you describe the culture of Bank Five Nine?
Schneider: “I believe strongly in family-oriented cultures. When employees care about each other, they work together to best serve customers. Bank Five Nine is exactly that type of organization. We are one of only a handful of companies to be recognized as a Top Workplace for 14 consecutive years and are recognized by American Banker Magazine as a Best Bank to Work For. The culture here is strong, and through collaborative leadership I hope to make it even stronger in the future.”
BizTimes: Where do you see your company in 1 year, 5 years?
Schneider: “Bank Five Nine is uniquely positioned for future success. Due to continued increase in regulation, investment in technology and staffing issues, many smaller banks will continue to struggle to compete. That means that the number of truly local community banks may decrease, leaving fewer options for those customers that prefer a local bank. We will be a desirable option for those customers, as we are well-capitalized and have a conservative growth plan that ensures we will be here well into the future. We were founded over 160 years ago and are the oldest bank based in SE Wisconsin. Our business model sets us up well to continue to serve our customers for decades to come.”
BizTimes: What do you see as your most important responsibility to your customers?
Schneider: “Our mission at Bank Five Nine is to “Make Lives Better.” That mission is an obligation we have to our employees, our shareholders, our communities and our customers. Making lives better doesn’t just mean that we offer customers a safe place to grow their money. It means that we help make our communities vibrant places to live, work and play. It’s why we donate over $140,000 annually to local non-profits, and our employees spend over 6,800 hours volunteering with local organizations. We have community loan pool programs to help small businesses open and grow. And we are investing in technology to help our customers better manage their finances and plan for the future. At our core, that’s what it means to be a strong community bank.”
155 W. Wisconsin Ave • Oconomowoc, WI 53066
(888) 569-9909 • bankfivenine.com
