2017 Rising Stars in Banking: Jon King

For someone who insists he didn't want to be a farmer, Jon King sure has managed to surround himself with agriculture. Consider the 10 Simmental cattle he tends.."Growing up, I showed them all summer long. That's just one thing I've never been able to quite give up," said King, a commercial and agricultural lender at Fidelity Bank & Trust's branch in Oelwein, Iowa..NorthWestern Financial Review is honoring King as a Rising Star in Banking for 2017, along with five other bankers..The third generation to grow up on a family farm, King's younger brother now runs the operation in Emmetsburg, about three hours from Oelwein. The two may be in different fields, but there is enough overlap — and that is before considering the 10 head — to talk shop at holiday dinners while providing some outside perspective to prevent the conversation from feeling like a continuation of the workday..Those insights, along with the institutional knowledge retained from growing up in the industry, helps King during times specifically like 2017, when an increase in commodities and trade uncertainties have led to a drop in most agricultural prices. His customers know King understands their realities.."Having come from an ag background, he does have a sense of empathy yet doesn't let that sway him as far as making good, sound financial decisions for the bank," said Kent Nelson, Fidelity's market president in Oelwein. "When times get tough, you have to have enough empathy to understand and sympathize with what they're going through, but you can't let that influence your credit decisions and doing what's best for the bank.".While King knew he did not want to stay on the family farm, he did not set out to become an agricultural lender either. He went to Iowa State intending to become an accountant of some variety, likely tied to the ag industry. When he returned home with a degree in agricultural business, the home phone rang with an offer from Maynard Savings Bank to lend at its Hazelton branch.."When the bank opening presented itself, it just seemed like a natural fit for me," King said..Now 21 years later, that fit has included a 2001 move to First National Bank of Oelwein and then a 2007 acquisition by Fidelity, a $803 million bank based in Dubuque. With two young children then — a daughter now 11 and a son now 14 — that upheaval could have knocked King back a step. Instead, it is when Nelson first noticed King taking on more responsibilities.."It's always tough going through those transitions and I'm sure both of us at different times had thoughts about moving on," Nelson said. "At that time, he was starting to get more involved in community organizations, taking leadership roles. That's when it really first hit my radar that he gets it. He understands what it means to be a community banker.".Perhaps King has taken that to an extreme. More than a few community bankers serve a term as the local rotary president, and undoubtedly a smaller subset of them then take on the permanent role of rotary treasurer. On July 1, King took over as the president of the Oelwein Chamber and Area Development. Again, that might be common. However, not many community bankers work as volunteer firemen as King does.."I've always been community service oriented," he said. "As a community banker, you have to be out in the community and take an active role in what's going on around you. It not only helps you individually but it does help the bank with the exposure of you being out in the public.".In Nelson's mind, the agricultural community has always known King and trusted his credentials. Growing up on a farm and insisting on continuing to own cattle will do that. It is King's work with those clubs and organizations that has introduced him to the community as a whole.."It helps him and I think that dominoes into helping the bank," Nelson said. "It shows we care about the community. For a lot of people, that translates to a level of trust when it comes to being your banker."Other 2017 Rising Stars in Banking honorees include:Bob Southworth, HomeTown Bank, St. Peter, Minn.Lori Keigher, HomeStar Bank, Manteno, Ill.Tony Gudajtes, Choice Financial, Grafton, N.D.Becky Miller, First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc, Wis.Dan Maddox, Citizens State Bank, New Castle, Ind.