2009 Outstanding Women in Banking: Stefanie Kramer

It has been a big year for Stefanie Kramer. The 40-year-old banker became CFO and COO of Shelby County State Bank, Harlan, Iowa, earlier this year. An active blogger and practicing novelist, Kramer had, shortly before her interview for this feature, received an honorable mention from Writer's Digest magazine for a short story that will be published next month..Her promotion to CFO/COO capped 12 years at SCSB, where Kramer had been senior vice president of retail, concentrating on customer loyalty and retention. Kramer had been hired by former president Roger Claypool, who wanted to formalize the bank's approach to customer satisfaction and product profitability..Kramer was an ideal candidate for the new approach. After completing an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Iowa, she moved to Omaha, Neb., completed an MBA in finance and marketing at Creighton University, and entered the management training program at Omaha-based Commercial Federal Bank (now Bank of the West), where she worked for four years.."I came from a world where we had teller systems and posted everything online; we had a pretty formal training program" and sales program, Kramer said. "When I came here there was none of that. We had great people, and a lot of them had natural customer service skills…but we didn't really have an organized approach to measuring customer service or the profitability of our products.".Kramer was eager to tackle the opportunity—and to move back to Shelby County, where her husband Doug is a farmer. She knew SCSB by reputation long before she started working there.."It had a great history of being a strong community bank, being very much out there and serving its community in many functions," Kramer said. "Honestly, I saw that as an outsider when I worked at Commercial Federal. We employees who came from other banks especially recognize the reputation of this bank for being involved in the community. It is a great feeling to work for a company that has that image.".Claypool left SCSB earlier this year to become president and CEO of First National Bank of Sioux City, LeMars and Sioux Center. Kevin Campbell, SCSB's former senior vice president of operations, succeeded Claypool as president.."Kevin and I have worked together for the last couple of years, and we think alike in terms of wanting to take the bank in a certain direction," Kramer said. "Our vision for the bank right now is very simple: we want to work with integrity, intelligence and purpose—and make sure that everyone at every level understands how they can actually make a difference to this bank.".Kramer said the bank focuses on products that benefit customers and the county, pointing to the bank's Experience Shelby County program as an example. Where some banks give away $50 to new accountholders, Kramer's bank gives "a packet of coupons, discounts, free dinners and free items from all of our merchant customers who wanted to participate." The packet is worth about $200."Our merchants really appreciate the fact that we try to promote them all the time," Kramer said. "And people who open new accounts, especially if they're from out of town, like a reason to go visit these businesses.".Outside the bank Kramer is active in her children's school, Shelby County Catholic. She also is a board member for the school's foundation. A musician who started college on a music scholarship, Kramer enjoys playing piano for children's masses. She is a certified Achieve Global trainer in leadership development and is a coordinator in First Leaders, the leadership and management program for Lauritzen Corporation and First National of Nebraska banks, with which her bank is affiliated..Kramer has also chaired or served on committees for the Iowa Bankers Association.Other 2009 Outstanding Women in Banking honorees include:Margaret Howard, Bank of Wolcott, IndianaLois Bednar, Bank Forward, Grand Forks, NDMarcia Malzahn, Tradition Capital Bank, Edina, Minn.