September 19, 2025 • 23 mins
Mike Smith, Market President of Glacier Bank, joins the inaugural episode of Heart of the Flathead to share his journey from a blue-collar upbringing in Wisconsin to becoming a key financial leader in the Flathead Valley. Since moving to Kalispell in 2006, Mike has navigated the challenges of the Great Recession, mortgage lending, and community growth while helping shape Glacier Bank’s strong civic presence. With a commitment to supporting 75% of the nonprofits in the Great Fish Community Challenge and fostering a culture of volunteerism among employees, Mike underscores the bank’s guiding principle: “Our customers don’t care how smart we are as bankers until they know how much we care about them.”
The conversation also explores Mike’s thoughtful take on balancing economic growth with the preservation of the valley’s natural beauty and character. He addresses urgent challenges like rising property taxes, digital fraud, and the fraying of community connections—calling for more collaboration and civility between long-time locals and newcomers alike. Capping off the episode with personal reflections and lessons learned, Mike shares his hope to be remembered as someone “whose actions made a difference”—a fitting message for a series devoted to the people helping shape the heart of the Flathead.
Heart of the Flathead is brought to you by:
Heart of the Flathead, is produced by David Wigginton, in partnership with LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing. Listeners can find the podcast online at HeartoftheFlathead.com and LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing at lbrbm.com. The content for Heart of the Flathead podcasts and any show notes and transcripts are copyrighted by David Wigginton. All rights are reserved. Reproduction and rebroadcasting, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Contact David Wigginton by clicking the Send Us a Text link at the top of the episode description.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. Appearance on the show does not constitute an endorsement of any goods, services, or opinions discussed. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal, medical, or financial advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on the content of this show.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Heart of the Flathead, where we sit
down with the changemakers, theunsung heroes and everyday folks
who give this place its pulse.
If you live here, love here orjust want to know what makes
Kalispell and the Valley tick,you're in the right place.
And now here's your host, daveWiginton.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome everybody to Heart of the Flathead and I'm
excited to introduce our guesttoday, mike Smith, market
president of Glacier Bank.
Mike, thanks for joining ustoday.
You are actually the inauguralguest on the Heart of the
Flathead, so we're grateful foryour willingness to be on here
today and thanks for chattingwith us.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, dave, thanks for the opportunity.
It was good to get to know youa little bit better a few weeks
ago.
Hopefully, I will answer allyour questions in a timely
manner.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Awesome.
Thank you Well again foreverybody that's new to the
podcast.
This is something that we wantto interview the change makers
and the impact makers in ourcommunity and Mike is a member
of the Glacier Bank.
Leadership and is a member ofsome nonprofit organizations in
our community is a great placefor us to start.
So, mike, why don't we juststart getting to know you a
(01:12):
little bit?
Maybe tell us a little aboutwhere you're from, a little bit
about your life's journey andhow you got to where you are
today?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
I originally am from River Falls, wisconsin, so that
today is a suburb of St Paul,minneapolis, very blue collar
rural community.
Big employers in that area wereAnderson Windows.
My family all worked for 3M soI learned what hard work means.
My dad worked four shifts, sothat means you're working every
(01:42):
week and you might get two daysoff a month and that's kind of
what I learned about work ethics.
So he was a great role model.
So after high school I went tocollege in my hometown for a few
years and then off to Minnesotaat St Cloud State, then moved
to Colorado after graduatingfrom St Cloud State and from
(02:03):
there I was in the mortgageindustry.
I had an uncle who had amortgage company there and that
was in 1985.
I met my wife and we relocatedto Kalispell in 2006.
At the time we had twothree-year-olds and a
two-year-old and thought this isa great place to raise our
family.
(02:23):
My wife is a fifth generationMontanan so you know she tries
to tell me I can't ride in hercoattails, but you know we're
very passionate about Montana.
So and you know from there,that's when Glacier Bank hired
me was in 2006.
So that very blessed to move uphere and we've enjoyed all the
(02:43):
outdoor activities as we raisedour kit, and now it's just
Kirsten and me as we look to thefuture.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Great, well, we're glad you're here and maybe you
can give us a little bit of anoverview of your journey within
Glacier Bank, because you didn'tcome.
My understanding is you didn'tcome here as the market
president.
You came in.
I think the mortgage Correct.
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, my background in Colorado was mortgage banking
and so I was hired in 2006 tobe the real estate manager, so
really to focus on mortgagelending construction lending and
really did that from 2006 to2020.
So I was able to learn reallythe hard part of banking and the
great recession.
That was a very tough timebecause a lot of people were
struggling with payments andvalues that were well below what
(03:32):
their mortgage balances were.
In 2020, Bob Nystuen retired.
He was the former president ofGlacier Bank.
I was fortunate enough toreplace Bob and I was fortunate
enough to replace Bob.
So I've been in essentially thepresident's world market
president role since late 2020.
Effective date would probablybe January 2021.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
It's a great journey.
So Glacier Bank obviously is aninstitution here in the
Flathead Valley.
It's been around for decadesand I know there's lots of
grandparents that have owned, orstill own shares in the bank
stock.
Maybe give us an idea.
What is Glacier Involvementapart from its core business?
I know I see they sponsor a lotof different things.
(04:15):
How does Glacier Bankcontribute and participate in
our community here?
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Great question, dave.
Again back to the basics of ourbusiness plan and then I'll
answer your question.
But really we focus on threethings.
One is we gather deposits, sowe really try to protect our
customers' money.
We obviously are very active inlending.
And the third prong iscommunity spirit, and so our
(04:42):
team is very active withdonating their time outside the
bank.
You know we sponsor a lot ofthe community events.
You know their banquets,dinners, races, you name it.
You know we're we're veryactive.
But you know the other thingour, our team does a great job
at is, you know, just out,donating their time.
So you know, one of our biginitiatives is around kids, and
(05:05):
so we teach kids to save in allthe elementary schools and some
of the high schools and it'sreally fun to you know to see
how that, what that impact haswith the kids and really all the
nonprofits that we support.
You know we're active throughthe Great Fish campaign that's
going on right now.
I think there's 80 nonprofits.
(05:28):
Glacier Bank has donated to 60of those.
So you think about that, 75% ofthem, and some are smaller,
some are larger.
This goes back to the beginningof Glacier Bank.
But our focus is our customersreally don't care how smart we
are as bankers until they knowhow much we care about them.
(05:51):
And so that's what we talk alot about behind closed doors at
Glacier Bank is are we making adifference in the community?
I mean, it's certainly easy towrite checks Obviously we have
to be successful financially butreally it's also donating that
time.
You know our actions speak for.
You know what's important to usand what the impact we have in
(06:13):
the community.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
That's pretty amazing .
So Glacier Bank donates to 60of the 80 nonprofits in the
Great Fish Challenge.
That's pretty remarkable and anamazing I mean statistic, I
guess, as you think about it,but great for our community that
the bank is giving back so much.
Are there any specificnonprofits or organizations that
you're involved with outside ofGlacier Bank and, if so, what
(06:35):
do you do there?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Sure, yeah, not as much.
You know, when I becamepresident I kind of backed off.
What I'm most involved withthese days is NeighborWorks
Montana, which is really astatewide organization, but you
know I've been part of the inthe past part of the Kalispell
Chamber, the Flathead CommunityFoundation, which is now a
(06:58):
function of the WhitefishCommunity Foundation.
I was involved with the PoliceAction Committee back in the day
and so a lot of differentnonprofits.
But now my focus really is onmaking sure our staff is more
involved out in the communityand making sure that I'm
attending all the differentcommunity events.
So I probably backed off moreon that and getting our team out
(07:22):
pushing away from the desk.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Got.
It Sounds like you're a prettybusy guy, though, if you're out
attending events and motivatingyour team to be out in the
community.
Speaking of motivation, whatdrives you to do what you do at
Glacier Bank?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
but a part of that threefold mission that you
started with but a part of thatthreefold mission that you
started with, I think.
To me personally it's how doyou make a difference?
And so that's what drives me asfar as motivation.
I think it's fun to be at myposition and being able to turn
the dials a little bit.
(07:56):
And what impact does that haveon our customers, our bottom
line, and really mentoring ourdifferent leaders to say, hey,
are we growing deposits, are wegrowing loans, and is our
community activity meeting theneeds of not only Glacier Bank
but the community?
And so that's kind of whatdrives me every day and kind of
(08:19):
simplifies what we're trying todo as an organization as well.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So, as you think about those different things,
obviously you're incredibly busy.
How do you unwind or decompressoutside of work or during the
day?
What are some of your hobbiesor activities that you engage in
to do that?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I think you know, when our kids were younger it
was you know doing, you knowcertainly things with them.
They're all now outside ofMontana, but you know we like to
boat on Flathead Lake.
That's important.
I like to golf.
Sometimes I'll go out, you know, late, later in the afternoon
or later at night, and just playa few holes.
(08:58):
Uh, you know, by myself, and,um, you know, just kind of think
about what.
What are we trying to do?
What am I trying to do?
Uh, in the winter it might bemore reading.
I used to ski, I would sayprobably now more.
Uh, snowshoeing, things likethat, and certainly a glass of
red wine from time to time.
Uh, helps as well.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Absolutely.
From time to time helps as well, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
What's.
What's your?
Uh, what's your golf handicap?
Oh, um, not very good.
It's about 18.
I used to be much lower, but itseems that hasn't been a
priority, or I can't hit theball as straight as I once could
, so, but it's still fun to goout and play in different
tournaments with friends sc,scrambles, things like that but
I don't keep scores often, soit's just you know how am I
(09:44):
hitting the ball and just kindof enjoying a nice walk.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Absolutely.
It's one of the golf's,definitely one of the things
that's enjoyable to do hereduring the spring and summer and
fall season.
So glad you're able to do that.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
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(10:23):
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(10:44):
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(11:10):
expensive line item.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What we're trying to accomplish with Heart of the
Flathead is we're trying tobuild connections in the
community to create a strongercommunity.
And as you think about theFlathead, you've been here for
gosh almost 20 years now.
What does a better, strongerfuture for our community look
like from your perspective?
And, if you're at liberty tosay so, how does Glacier Bank
(11:35):
think about that as well?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
That's a tough question, but I think how do we
do a better to get better orstronger?
I think it has to be morecollaboration.
I think we do, I think, a goodjob partnering with some of the
larger businesses on beinginvolved in some of the
nonprofit activities.
But I think, as we look to thefuture, does some of the
(12:02):
business leaders get togetherand, you know, help, you know,
maybe sit down with the city andthe county and, you know, all
put our heads together?
I think there's room forimprovement there.
We're certainly.
You know just watching some ofthe developments, you know,
coming through, getting approvedor being, you know, suspended
or delayed.
(12:22):
You know it appears that ourcommunity is getting.
Maybe are we growing, have wegrown too fast?
And how do we, you know, makesure we don't lose the beauty of
the Flathead?
You know, I think, you know Imoved here, you moved here from
other areas and I think it'simportant that we all are
stewards.
You know, for the future, thatwe have two great lakes, you
(12:44):
know two beautiful ski hills,glacier Park and all that.
It's important that we, youknow, you know, make sure that
that is our priority as wecontinue to grow.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah, those are big responsibilities, for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, I do think, yeah, and you know, it seems.
You know, and it seems throughCOVID or COVID's a long time ago
, but maybe we've lost some ofour civility and grace.
And how do we get back to thebasics?
On understanding, there is twosides to an argument, where I'm
not always right, You're notalways right, but can we listen
(13:21):
and go?
Okay, maybe.
How do we land in the middle?
I think you know in my mind, Ithink that's what the flathead
is about.
And so do we get back to the,you know, a middle ground
instead of too far left, too farright.
So that's my hope, that's mypersonal opinion.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah, the art of compromise is, uh, definitely,
um, not as prevalent as it oncewas.
What, what, what do you?
I mean, you mentioned a fewthings there.
I mean, what, what do you thinkare some of the obstacles, uh,
in our community not notglobally, but here in the
flathead that uh, maybe preventus from being able to get
(14:00):
together and hear each other andwork towards a common ground
solution and not have thismentality of it's all my way or
no way.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
I'm not sure it could be.
You know, is some of it.
Dave, maybe you know We've seena lot of growth and so people
from the outside have come intothe Flathead for our beauty and
for our less traffic.
But maybe they want us to go ina different direction and
(14:37):
people that moved here have toembrace what was, what was our
culture and for the peoplewho've been here a long time
need need to embrace.
You know we have to change alittle bit, but you know, I
think we have a lot of growthcontinuing to go on right now.
That may cause some challenges.
And so you know, I think youknow the county is seeing some
of that, you know side as far aslooking for a new jail, and
(15:01):
that's something that we need.
But again we're caught up inproperty tax.
I think that's a really fuzzyimpact.
That's probably something Ihear every day from a customer
is our taxes are going to go up5,000.
My property value has doubled100%, and what's that impact
going to go up 5,000?
Or my property value is doubled, you know a hundred percent,
and you know what's that impactgoing to be.
And so I think there's a lot ofuneasiness right now.
(15:23):
And then, you know we throw inthe national scene with tariffs
and you know, I'm not sure howthat's playing out.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
So I think there's just a lot of uncertainty, and
so people are maybe reaching outwith some of that frustration
around the uncertainty Seemslike trying to understand first
versus responding may be a goodapproach to, I guess, connecting
with people and allowing themto express their frustrations
and concerns, which it soundslike you are dealing with quite
(15:52):
a bit at the bank Are propertytaxes the biggest concern.
I assume they are right now,but are there other concerns
that your clients bring to yourattention recently or even in
the past year?
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yeah, I think on the banking side certainly all the
fraud that we're experiencingaround people phishing, where
they're getting into ourcustomers' computers sending
links, that people are gettingcaught, you know romance scams,
all the different things thatpeople are losing money on.
(16:26):
You know not only banks but ourcustomers, and so you know I
think that's been certainly achallenge in the banking
industry is how do we get aheadof that?
I think on the social issues,you know some of the challenges
that I look back on my career,it's hard to believe.
You know the kids growing uptoday.
(16:47):
You know the pressure thatthey're under with social media
phones.
You know there is no, there'sno timeout, so they're
constantly being involved.
You know with who knows what.
You know through their phonesor their friends, and so I think
that has led to some of thatwhere it's easy to send a nasty
email or a nasty text, and so wesee that a lot on our frontline
(17:12):
staff or our call center, wherepeople used to be a little bit
more understanding, and now youknow anybody can send an email
out, and so you know it'simportant that you know we don't
get too attached to that emailbut what's the message and try
to resolve the problem and nottake too many things personal.
But it's hard, I think,especially with the younger kids
(17:34):
on what they're dealing withtoday.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
How do you help your team maintain perspective in the
face of that kind of adversity?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Well, I think what we try to, you know, is it's not
their fault.
You know, like our call center,you know, during COVID was, you
know, probably getting 30,000calls a month, you know.
So, if you think about that, athousand a day and we just
didn't have enough staff.
You know, that was the otherchallenge and so we just said
you got to do your best, butalways, you know, we, you know,
(18:05):
try to talk about grace and andjust try to help each customer
and that's what's critical forour success.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Well, Mike, we're going to approach the wrap-up
point of the podcast at thispoint and we've got a series of
questions that we call theFlathead Five, that we will be
asking all our guests andthey're really just rapid
response questions to help usget to know you a little bit on
topics that are popular and morepervasive in our valley here.
So we're going to jump intothose right now, if you're all
(18:37):
right with that, and um and gofrom there.
So, uh, what's your favoritehidden gem in the community?
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Um, depends on the time of year, but I like this
time of year and the spring.
I love walking on the East sideof Kalispell.
You know it's uh um, there's alot of different architecture
there, so that's always fun.
Um, I think you know personally, I live north of town, so I
like walking on a certain golfcourse in the morning and don't
hear and smell the sound ofcutting grass.
So those are things that Ienjoy that help me start my day
(19:11):
or end my day.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I've actually seen you walking on the east side
before, so I live on the eastside, so I've seen you walking
like, yeah, that's Mike.
So okay, Grizz or Bobcats.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Well, I have to go with Grizz.
My wife is a U of M grad, so Iwould say that.
But I'm very impressed withwhat the Bobcats have
accomplished, not only fromeducation but on the sports
scene.
But we're a Grizz family.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
What's your favorite outdoor activity in the Valley?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Boating on Flathead Lake for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
What do you know today that you wish you knew
when you started out?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
That's a good question, dave, I think don't be
afraid to fail.
You know what we talk aboutwith our team as we implement
new things.
It's try, fail, learn and howdo you fail faster so you can
try again.
So I think when I was younger Iwas always afraid of making
mistakes and I think as you getolder, everything works out how
(20:11):
it's supposed to work out.
So I didn't think that way inmy 20s and early 30s.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I didn't think that way in my 20s and early 30s.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
When your story is over.
What do you want the one or twosentence review on your book to
be?
I don't like talking aboutmyself, but I guess it would be.
You know he was a good guy,devoted husband, father.
Family was his priority and Iguess I hope my actions made a
(20:48):
difference with those who I camein contact with.
Pretty simple, but that's atough question, so hopefully
others will answer it better foryou.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Well, I like that.
I think that Flathead is allabout family, definitely and I
think you talk to people thathave moved here, that have been
here for five or six generations.
It's about family, and so it'sgood to be in a community where
family is a priority and we'reall working together and
hopefully we can build a familywithin our community as well
that can thrive and flourishinto the future.
(21:15):
So, mike, I can't thank youenough today for coming on and
being our inaugural guest, andthank you for taking the time,
and it's been great getting toknow you, and I hope that our
listeners will also feel thatthey know you a little bit
better after listening to thisinterview today and can't thank
you enough again, so we lookforward to speaking with you in
the future.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Well, thanks, dave, and best of luck with Heart of
the Flathead and kudos to youfor going down this path.
I know you have other thingsyou're working on, so I think
this makes a difference in ourcommunity, and so best of luck,
and if we can help with anything, please don't hesitate to
contact me.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Thank you, mike, appreciate it.
Okay, see you Dave.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Heart of the Flathead is produced by David Wiginton
in partnership with Left Brain,right Brain Marketing.
Listeners can find the podcastonline at heartoftheflatheadcom
and leftbrainrightbrainmarketingat lbrbmcom.
The content for Heart of theFlathead podcasts and any show
notes and transcripts arecopyrighted by David Wiginton.
(22:19):
All rights reserved.
Reproduction and rebroadcastingin whole or in part is strictly
prohibited without writtenpermission.
Contact David Wiginton atheartoftheflatheadcom with your
request.
The views and opinionsexpressed by guests on this
podcast are their own and do notnecessarily reflect those of
the host or the production team.
(22:39):
Appearance on the show does notconstitute an endorsement of
any goods, services or opinionsdiscussed.
The podcast is forinformational and entertainment
purposes only and should not beconsidered professional legal,
medical or financial advice.
Always consult a qualifiedprofessional before making
decisions based on the contentof this show.
Welcome to the Heart of the Flathead, where we sit
down with the changemakers, theunsung heroes and everyday folks
who give this place its pulse.
If you live here, love here orjust want to know what makes
Kalispell and the Valley tick,you're in the right place.
And now here's your host, daveWiginton.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome everybody to Heart of the Flathead and I'm
excited to introduce our guesttoday, mike Smith, market
president of Glacier Bank.
Mike, thanks for joining ustoday.
You are actually the inauguralguest on the Heart of the
Flathead, so we're grateful foryour willingness to be on here
today and thanks for chattingwith us.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, dave, thanks for the opportunity.
It was good to get to know youa little bit better a few weeks
ago.
Hopefully, I will answer allyour questions in a timely
manner.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Awesome.
Thank you Well again foreverybody that's new to the
podcast.
This is something that we wantto interview the change makers
and the impact makers in ourcommunity and Mike is a member
of the Glacier Bank.
Leadership and is a member ofsome nonprofit organizations in
our community is a great placefor us to start.
So, mike, why don't we juststart getting to know you a
(01:12):
little bit?
Maybe tell us a little aboutwhere you're from, a little bit
about your life's journey andhow you got to where you are
today?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
I originally am from River Falls, wisconsin, so that
today is a suburb of St Paul,minneapolis, very blue collar
rural community.
Big employers in that area wereAnderson Windows.
My family all worked for 3M soI learned what hard work means.
My dad worked four shifts, sothat means you're working every
(01:42):
week and you might get two daysoff a month and that's kind of
what I learned about work ethics.
So he was a great role model.
So after high school I went tocollege in my hometown for a few
years and then off to Minnesotaat St Cloud State, then moved
to Colorado after graduatingfrom St Cloud State and from
(02:03):
there I was in the mortgageindustry.
I had an uncle who had amortgage company there and that
was in 1985.
I met my wife and we relocatedto Kalispell in 2006.
At the time we had twothree-year-olds and a
two-year-old and thought this isa great place to raise our
family.
(02:23):
My wife is a fifth generationMontanan so you know she tries
to tell me I can't ride in hercoattails, but you know we're
very passionate about Montana.
So and you know from there,that's when Glacier Bank hired
me was in 2006.
So that very blessed to move uphere and we've enjoyed all the
(02:43):
outdoor activities as we raisedour kit, and now it's just
Kirsten and me as we look to thefuture.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Great, well, we're glad you're here and maybe you
can give us a little bit of anoverview of your journey within
Glacier Bank, because you didn'tcome.
My understanding is you didn'tcome here as the market
president.
You came in.
I think the mortgage Correct.
Is that right?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, my background in Colorado was mortgage banking
and so I was hired in 2006 tobe the real estate manager, so
really to focus on mortgagelending construction lending and
really did that from 2006 to2020.
So I was able to learn reallythe hard part of banking and the
great recession.
That was a very tough timebecause a lot of people were
struggling with payments andvalues that were well below what
(03:32):
their mortgage balances were.
In 2020, Bob Nystuen retired.
He was the former president ofGlacier Bank.
I was fortunate enough toreplace Bob and I was fortunate
enough to replace Bob.
So I've been in essentially thepresident's world market
president role since late 2020.
Effective date would probablybe January 2021.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
It's a great journey.
So Glacier Bank obviously is aninstitution here in the
Flathead Valley.
It's been around for decadesand I know there's lots of
grandparents that have owned, orstill own shares in the bank
stock.
Maybe give us an idea.
What is Glacier Involvementapart from its core business?
I know I see they sponsor a lotof different things.
(04:15):
How does Glacier Bankcontribute and participate in
our community here?
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Great question, dave.
Again back to the basics of ourbusiness plan and then I'll
answer your question.
But really we focus on threethings.
One is we gather deposits, sowe really try to protect our
customers' money.
We obviously are very active inlending.
And the third prong iscommunity spirit, and so our
(04:42):
team is very active withdonating their time outside the
bank.
You know we sponsor a lot ofthe community events.
You know their banquets,dinners, races, you name it.
You know we're we're veryactive.
But you know the other thingour, our team does a great job
at is, you know, just out,donating their time.
So you know, one of our biginitiatives is around kids, and
(05:05):
so we teach kids to save in allthe elementary schools and some
of the high schools and it'sreally fun to you know to see
how that, what that impact haswith the kids and really all the
nonprofits that we support.
You know we're active throughthe Great Fish campaign that's
going on right now.
I think there's 80 nonprofits.
(05:28):
Glacier Bank has donated to 60of those.
So you think about that, 75% ofthem, and some are smaller,
some are larger.
This goes back to the beginningof Glacier Bank.
But our focus is our customersreally don't care how smart we
are as bankers until they knowhow much we care about them.
(05:51):
And so that's what we talk alot about behind closed doors at
Glacier Bank is are we making adifference in the community?
I mean, it's certainly easy towrite checks Obviously we have
to be successful financially butreally it's also donating that
time.
You know our actions speak for.
You know what's important to usand what the impact we have in
(06:13):
the community.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
That's pretty amazing .
So Glacier Bank donates to 60of the 80 nonprofits in the
Great Fish Challenge.
That's pretty remarkable and anamazing I mean statistic, I
guess, as you think about it,but great for our community that
the bank is giving back so much.
Are there any specificnonprofits or organizations that
you're involved with outside ofGlacier Bank and, if so, what
(06:35):
do you do there?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Sure, yeah, not as much.
You know, when I becamepresident I kind of backed off.
What I'm most involved withthese days is NeighborWorks
Montana, which is really astatewide organization, but you
know I've been part of the inthe past part of the Kalispell
Chamber, the Flathead CommunityFoundation, which is now a
(06:58):
function of the WhitefishCommunity Foundation.
I was involved with the PoliceAction Committee back in the day
and so a lot of differentnonprofits.
But now my focus really is onmaking sure our staff is more
involved out in the communityand making sure that I'm
attending all the differentcommunity events.
So I probably backed off moreon that and getting our team out
(07:22):
pushing away from the desk.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Got.
It Sounds like you're a prettybusy guy, though, if you're out
attending events and motivatingyour team to be out in the
community.
Speaking of motivation, whatdrives you to do what you do at
Glacier Bank?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
but a part of that threefold mission that you
started with but a part of thatthreefold mission that you
started with, I think.
To me personally it's how doyou make a difference?
And so that's what drives me asfar as motivation.
I think it's fun to be at myposition and being able to turn
the dials a little bit.
(07:56):
And what impact does that haveon our customers, our bottom
line, and really mentoring ourdifferent leaders to say, hey,
are we growing deposits, are wegrowing loans, and is our
community activity meeting theneeds of not only Glacier Bank
but the community?
And so that's kind of whatdrives me every day and kind of
(08:19):
simplifies what we're trying todo as an organization as well.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
So, as you think about those different things,
obviously you're incredibly busy.
How do you unwind or decompressoutside of work or during the
day?
What are some of your hobbiesor activities that you engage in
to do that?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
I think you know, when our kids were younger it
was you know doing, you knowcertainly things with them.
They're all now outside ofMontana, but you know we like to
boat on Flathead Lake.
That's important.
I like to golf.
Sometimes I'll go out, you know, late, later in the afternoon
or later at night, and just playa few holes.
(08:58):
Uh, you know, by myself, and,um, you know, just kind of think
about what.
What are we trying to do?
What am I trying to do?
Uh, in the winter it might bemore reading.
I used to ski, I would sayprobably now more.
Uh, snowshoeing, things likethat, and certainly a glass of
red wine from time to time.
Uh, helps as well.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Absolutely.
From time to time helps as well, absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
What's.
What's your?
Uh, what's your golf handicap?
Oh, um, not very good.
It's about 18.
I used to be much lower, but itseems that hasn't been a
priority, or I can't hit theball as straight as I once could
, so, but it's still fun to goout and play in different
tournaments with friends sc,scrambles, things like that but
I don't keep scores often, soit's just you know how am I
(09:44):
hitting the ball and just kindof enjoying a nice walk.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Absolutely.
It's one of the golf's,definitely one of the things
that's enjoyable to do hereduring the spring and summer and
fall season.
So glad you're able to do that.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Heart of the Flathead is brought to you by Glacier
Investment Management.
Your life is more than aportfolio.
It's your family, your future,your legacy.
Isn't it time you aligned yourmoney with your purpose?
At Glacier InvestmentManagement, we act as your
personal financial director,bringing it all together, so
every move you make buildstowards what matters most.
(10:23):
To learn more, visitGlacierInvestmentcom or to
schedule your personalconsultation, contact us at
406-890-7155.
Again, that number is406-890-7155.
And also by Whitefish FinancialServices.
Time is money, as the oldsaying goes.
(10:44):
If you're buried in bookkeeping, payroll processing or
navigating your business'sfinances, you're losing both.
At Whitefish Financial Services, we cut the noise, you run the
business, we handle the rest.
To learn more, visitwhitefishfinancialcom or give us
a call at 406-863-9638.
Again, that's 406-863-9638,because wasted time is your most
(11:10):
expensive line item.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
What we're trying to accomplish with Heart of the
Flathead is we're trying tobuild connections in the
community to create a strongercommunity.
And as you think about theFlathead, you've been here for
gosh almost 20 years now.
What does a better, strongerfuture for our community look
like from your perspective?
And, if you're at liberty tosay so, how does Glacier Bank
(11:35):
think about that as well?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
That's a tough question, but I think how do we
do a better to get better orstronger?
I think it has to be morecollaboration.
I think we do, I think, a goodjob partnering with some of the
larger businesses on beinginvolved in some of the
nonprofit activities.
But I think, as we look to thefuture, does some of the
(12:02):
business leaders get togetherand, you know, help, you know,
maybe sit down with the city andthe county and, you know, all
put our heads together?
I think there's room forimprovement there.
We're certainly.
You know just watching some ofthe developments, you know,
coming through, getting approvedor being, you know, suspended
or delayed.
(12:22):
You know it appears that ourcommunity is getting.
Maybe are we growing, have wegrown too fast?
And how do we, you know, makesure we don't lose the beauty of
the Flathead?
You know, I think, you know Imoved here, you moved here from
other areas and I think it'simportant that we all are
stewards.
You know, for the future, thatwe have two great lakes, you
(12:44):
know two beautiful ski hills,glacier Park and all that.
It's important that we, youknow, you know, make sure that
that is our priority as wecontinue to grow.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Yeah, those are big responsibilities, for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, I do think, yeah, and you know, it seems.
You know, and it seems throughCOVID or COVID's a long time ago
, but maybe we've lost some ofour civility and grace.
And how do we get back to thebasics?
On understanding, there is twosides to an argument, where I'm
not always right, You're notalways right, but can we listen
(13:21):
and go?
Okay, maybe.
How do we land in the middle?
I think you know in my mind, Ithink that's what the flathead
is about.
And so do we get back to the,you know, a middle ground
instead of too far left, too farright.
So that's my hope, that's mypersonal opinion.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah, the art of compromise is, uh, definitely,
um, not as prevalent as it oncewas.
What, what, what do you?
I mean, you mentioned a fewthings there.
I mean, what, what do you thinkare some of the obstacles, uh,
in our community not notglobally, but here in the
flathead that uh, maybe preventus from being able to get
(14:00):
together and hear each other andwork towards a common ground
solution and not have thismentality of it's all my way or
no way.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
I'm not sure it could be.
You know, is some of it.
Dave, maybe you know We've seena lot of growth and so people
from the outside have come intothe Flathead for our beauty and
for our less traffic.
But maybe they want us to go ina different direction and
(14:37):
people that moved here have toembrace what was, what was our
culture and for the peoplewho've been here a long time
need need to embrace.
You know we have to change alittle bit, but you know, I
think we have a lot of growthcontinuing to go on right now.
That may cause some challenges.
And so you know, I think youknow the county is seeing some
of that, you know side as far aslooking for a new jail, and
(15:01):
that's something that we need.
But again we're caught up inproperty tax.
I think that's a really fuzzyimpact.
That's probably something Ihear every day from a customer
is our taxes are going to go up5,000.
My property value has doubled100%, and what's that impact
going to go up 5,000?
Or my property value is doubled, you know a hundred percent,
and you know what's that impactgoing to be.
And so I think there's a lot ofuneasiness right now.
(15:23):
And then, you know we throw inthe national scene with tariffs
and you know, I'm not sure howthat's playing out.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
So I think there's just a lot of uncertainty, and
so people are maybe reaching outwith some of that frustration
around the uncertainty Seemslike trying to understand first
versus responding may be a goodapproach to, I guess, connecting
with people and allowing themto express their frustrations
and concerns, which it soundslike you are dealing with quite
(15:52):
a bit at the bank Are propertytaxes the biggest concern.
I assume they are right now,but are there other concerns
that your clients bring to yourattention recently or even in
the past year?
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yeah, I think on the banking side certainly all the
fraud that we're experiencingaround people phishing, where
they're getting into ourcustomers' computers sending
links, that people are gettingcaught, you know romance scams,
all the different things thatpeople are losing money on.
(16:26):
You know not only banks but ourcustomers, and so you know I
think that's been certainly achallenge in the banking
industry is how do we get aheadof that?
I think on the social issues,you know some of the challenges
that I look back on my career,it's hard to believe.
You know the kids growing uptoday.
(16:47):
You know the pressure thatthey're under with social media
phones.
You know there is no, there'sno timeout, so they're
constantly being involved.
You know with who knows what.
You know through their phonesor their friends, and so I think
that has led to some of thatwhere it's easy to send a nasty
email or a nasty text, and so wesee that a lot on our frontline
(17:12):
staff or our call center, wherepeople used to be a little bit
more understanding, and now youknow anybody can send an email
out, and so you know it'simportant that you know we don't
get too attached to that emailbut what's the message and try
to resolve the problem and nottake too many things personal.
But it's hard, I think,especially with the younger kids
(17:34):
on what they're dealing withtoday.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
How do you help your team maintain perspective in the
face of that kind of adversity?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Well, I think what we try to, you know, is it's not
their fault.
You know, like our call center,you know, during COVID was, you
know, probably getting 30,000calls a month, you know.
So, if you think about that, athousand a day and we just
didn't have enough staff.
You know, that was the otherchallenge and so we just said
you got to do your best, butalways, you know, we, you know,
(18:05):
try to talk about grace and andjust try to help each customer
and that's what's critical forour success.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Well, Mike, we're going to approach the wrap-up
point of the podcast at thispoint and we've got a series of
questions that we call theFlathead Five, that we will be
asking all our guests andthey're really just rapid
response questions to help usget to know you a little bit on
topics that are popular and morepervasive in our valley here.
So we're going to jump intothose right now, if you're all
(18:37):
right with that, and um and gofrom there.
So, uh, what's your favoritehidden gem in the community?
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Um, depends on the time of year, but I like this
time of year and the spring.
I love walking on the East sideof Kalispell.
You know it's uh um, there's alot of different architecture
there, so that's always fun.
Um, I think you know personally, I live north of town, so I
like walking on a certain golfcourse in the morning and don't
hear and smell the sound ofcutting grass.
So those are things that Ienjoy that help me start my day
(19:11):
or end my day.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I've actually seen you walking on the east side
before, so I live on the eastside, so I've seen you walking
like, yeah, that's Mike.
So okay, Grizz or Bobcats.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Well, I have to go with Grizz.
My wife is a U of M grad, so Iwould say that.
But I'm very impressed withwhat the Bobcats have
accomplished, not only fromeducation but on the sports
scene.
But we're a Grizz family.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
What's your favorite outdoor activity in the Valley?
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Boating on Flathead Lake for sure.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
What do you know today that you wish you knew
when you started out?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
That's a good question, dave, I think don't be
afraid to fail.
You know what we talk aboutwith our team as we implement
new things.
It's try, fail, learn and howdo you fail faster so you can
try again.
So I think when I was younger Iwas always afraid of making
mistakes and I think as you getolder, everything works out how
(20:11):
it's supposed to work out.
So I didn't think that way inmy 20s and early 30s.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I didn't think that way in my 20s and early 30s.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
When your story is over.
What do you want the one or twosentence review on your book to
be?
I don't like talking aboutmyself, but I guess it would be.
You know he was a good guy,devoted husband, father.
Family was his priority and Iguess I hope my actions made a
(20:48):
difference with those who I camein contact with.
Pretty simple, but that's atough question, so hopefully
others will answer it better foryou.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Well, I like that.
I think that Flathead is allabout family, definitely and I
think you talk to people thathave moved here, that have been
here for five or six generations.
It's about family, and so it'sgood to be in a community where
family is a priority and we'reall working together and
hopefully we can build a familywithin our community as well
that can thrive and flourishinto the future.
(21:15):
So, mike, I can't thank youenough today for coming on and
being our inaugural guest, andthank you for taking the time,
and it's been great getting toknow you, and I hope that our
listeners will also feel thatthey know you a little bit
better after listening to thisinterview today and can't thank
you enough again, so we lookforward to speaking with you in
the future.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Well, thanks, dave, and best of luck with Heart of
the Flathead and kudos to youfor going down this path.
I know you have other thingsyou're working on, so I think
this makes a difference in ourcommunity, and so best of luck,
and if we can help with anything, please don't hesitate to
contact me.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Thank you, mike, appreciate it.
Okay, see you Dave.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Heart of the Flathead is produced by David Wiginton
in partnership with Left Brain,right Brain Marketing.
Listeners can find the podcastonline at heartoftheflatheadcom
and leftbrainrightbrainmarketingat lbrbmcom.
The content for Heart of theFlathead podcasts and any show
notes and transcripts arecopyrighted by David Wiginton.
(22:19):
All rights reserved.
Reproduction and rebroadcastingin whole or in part is strictly
prohibited without writtenpermission.
Contact David Wiginton atheartoftheflatheadcom with your
request.
The views and opinionsexpressed by guests on this
podcast are their own and do notnecessarily reflect those of
the host or the production team.
(22:39):
Appearance on the show does notconstitute an endorsement of
any goods, services or opinionsdiscussed.
The podcast is forinformational and entertainment
purposes only and should not beconsidered professional legal,
medical or financial advice.
Always consult a qualifiedprofessional before making
decisions based on the contentof this show.
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