Peoples Bank Celebrates 100 Years of Business

Peoples Bank Celebrates 100 Years of Business

Anyone who has taken a trip through the heart of Lynden knows it’s a town that values its history and cherishes its roots. So, it’s no surprise that when hometown institution Peoples Bank reached its 100th anniversary, the community took notice. The bank has always prioritized its commitment to the communities it serves. Its dedication to strong fiscal responsibility has allowed it to grow and flourish over the years, including through challenging times from the Great Depression to 2008’s global recession, and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic.

Lisa Hefter has been with Peoples for 28 years and has worked her way from teller to Chief Operating Of-ficer. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

Peoples Bank executive Lisa Hefter has been with the bank for 28 years. “I grew up in Lynden and went to Lynden High School,” she says. “My parents banked at Peoples, and I started as a teller here in 1992, about six months after I graduated from Central Washington University.” Hefter then worked in various roles within the bank before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2009. A decade later, she was promoted to Chief Administrative & Risk Officer, and she assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer earlier this year. In October 2020, Hefter was elected to the Board of Directors of Peoples Bank and Peoples Bancorp. This kind of career longevity is not uncommon at Peoples Bank. In fact, nearly 20 employees have worked for Peoples Bank for three decades or longer.

“Like Peoples Bank, many of the country’s community banks actually started by community members coming together and establishing institutions that could respond better to the needs of local families and businesses,” explains Hefter. “Back in 1921, a group of Lynden residents established the Peoples State Bank for this same reason. We changed our name to Peoples Bank in 1996, and today our 23 branches serve customers in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, King, and Chelan counties.”

Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis proclaimed August 7th Peoples Bank Day in Lynden. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

The bank’s longevity and its sense of tradition also extend to its family leadership. “Irwin LeCocq, Sr., the grandfather of our CEO Charles LeCocq, bought a controlling interest in the bank in 1938. Charles is the third generation of his family leading the bank, and now his son Ryan also works here,” says Hefter. “Our longevity means we’ve also been fortunate to serve multiple generations of local businesses and customers. We have customers whose grandchildren have accounts with us today. It’s gratifying to be a part of the community for so long.”

The Lynden Pioneer Museum unveiled a new Peoples Bank exhibit showcasing its historical memorabilia. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

To commemorate the milestone, Peoples Bank partnered with the Lynden Pioneer Museum and KAFE Radio to host a community celebration. Leading the festivities, Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis proclaimed August 7th “Peoples Bank Day.” The Lynden Pioneer Museum, which unveiled a new Peoples Bank exhibit, offered free admission. Edaleen Dairy gave out free scoops of a special ice cream flavor—Chocolate Dipped Raspberry Ripple—created especially for Peoples Bank Day.

“Even though it was a rainy day—the first measurable rainfall we’ve had in nearly two months—we ended up serving over 300 hotdogs, and everyone had a great time,” said Will Butela, a member of the Peoples Bank marketing department who helped organize the event.

Founded in 1921 as Peoples State Bank, Whatcom County’s longest running financial institution has been headquartered in Bellingham since 2008. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

Although the hot dogs and ice cream certainly drew attendees, Butela was also glad to see the community take a moment to think about its history. “You can’t really think about Peoples Bank without thinking about its deep connection with the Lynden community,” said Butela.

As the bank moves forward, it’s bringing all of that history along with it. “One thing that is so compelling to me is our culture of commitment. We’re invested in our communities because we live and work in them, and we want to make them better places,” says Hefter.

Sponsored

Peoples Bank Launches ‘Pigs in Places’ Treasure Hunt to Encourage Saving…and Giving Back

Submitted by Peoples Bank

Continuing its tradition of encouraging people to give back to others while understanding the importance of saving, Peoples Bank will launch “Pigs in Places” over the long Labor Day weekend. Between September 3-6, Peoples Bank will hide ten small piggy banks filled with $30 within a one-mile radius of each of Peoples Bank’s 23 branches in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Chelan, Island, and King Counties—for a total of 230 hidden pigs. KAFE Radio will also give away 10 cash-filled pigs to listeners on September 3 to help kick off the hunt.

In the spirit of the campaign, people who find piggy banks are encouraged to keep $15 and pay $15 forward. They can also enter to win a grand prize of $1,000 ($500 to keep and $500 to donate) by visiting www.peoplesbank-wa.com/pigs to fill out a brief form and upload a photo with their pig, or by bringing the pig into a local branch.

People who don’t find a pig can still win cash by visiting @peoplesbankwa on Facebook and Instagram to tell us about their favorite local business and enter to win one of ten $100 gift cards to spend at their favorite spot.

According to survey data released in May by GoBanking Rates, 63 percent of Americans say their personal finances were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting the toll of the pandemic on people’s financial health, the survey found 40 percent of Americans have less than $300 in savings. This is a significant drop compared to the pre-pandemic figure of $400 in savings used by the Federal Reserve as a gauge for measuring households’ financial well-being.

“The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt by individuals, businesses, and nonprofits serving our communities,” said Lisa Hefter, Chief Operating Officer at Peoples Bank. “While it can be challenging, we encourage customers to have six months in expenses saved in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as a large medical expense, auto repair bill, or a change in employment. Pigs in Places is a fun way to bring awareness to the importance of saving, lending a helping hand to others, and supporting the local businesses and nonprofits that contribute so much to our communities.”

The hunt is on!

The Pigs in Places campaign runs from September 3-6, 2021. More information and rules can be found at www.peoplesbank-wa.com/pigs.

Mountaineer Food Bank and Peoples Bank start matching campaign to fight food insecurity in West Virginia

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 05: Volunteers at Wandsworth foodbank prepare parcels for guests from their stores of donated food, toiletries and other items on May 5, 2017 in London, England. The Trussell Trust, who run the food bank, report that dependency on their service is continuing to rise, with over 1,182,000 three day emergency food supplies given to people in crisis in the past year. 436,000 of these recipients were children. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

GASSAWAY, W.Va. — On Sept. 1, Peoples Bank and Mountaineer Food Bank initiated a matching campaign to help West Virginians struggling with food insecurity during Hunger Action Month.

Hunger Action Month recognizes Feeding America and Food Banks across the country every September, encouraging people to give their support.

The campaign was started in the wake of the upcoming merger between Premier Bank and Peoples Bank as well as to celebrate Mountaineer Food Bank’s 40th anniversary. Peoples Bank has chosen to match $20,000, raising the grand total to $40,000.

“Hunger is a hidden crisis that has only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. It impacts families,

individuals, and children throughout the state, leaving the most vulnerable among us with the inability to

meet the basic need of putting food on the table,” said Mountaineer Food Bank’s CEO, Chad Morrison.

Donations can be done by visiting wwww.mountaineerfoodbank.org or by following Mountaineer Food Bank and Peoples Bank on Facebook. Every $1 donated to the Mountaineer Food Bank provides up to 10 meals.

The campaign will be ongoing until the end of September.