2008 Rising Stars in Banking: Brent Heinert

As Brent Heinert settles into his new role as president of a bank, and as his family adjusts to a new life in Aberdeen, S.D., he recognizes he has plenty to do even without additional self-imposed drama. Nevertheless, he and his family are happily absorbing the additional task of building a new house from scratch in their adopted town. Heinert is one to take good opportunities head on – one of several qualities that make him a 2008 NorthWestern Financial Review Rising Star.."It's just what I needed − one more thing to worry about," joked Heinert about the chaos of home construction stacked on top of relocation stacked on top of a new job. Heinert became president of Plains Commerce Bank, Aberdeen, in May. His wife, Brenda, and their three children, Jake, Erynn, and Will, moved 80 miles east to Aberdeen from Hoven so Heinert could fill the position..Heinert, 37, has roots in agriculture. His upbringing on a family farm in Delmont, S.D., first informed his understanding of banking's value to rural communities. "My family was mostly in cattle ranching," he said. "How the money works in agriculture is something you become aware of pretty early in an ag town. That stays with you.".The shift from ag to banking came about in college at Northern State University in Aberdeen. "I guess I started to think about banking in my second or third year," he said. "I started studying accounting. I was always really good with numbers and math, so that was an interest and a skill that grew into an interest in finance. Eventually that grew into an interest in banking because I always liked what banking meant and represented in the place and industry I grew up in.".Heinert got into banking after graduation in 1992. He took a job at Citibank in Sioux Falls. He then took what he calls his first "real bank job" as a loan officer in 1994 at the Bank of Hoven – the bank for which he would eventually serve as president. But before that day would come, Heinert side-stepped over to Farmers State Bank in Stickney, S.D., in 1996.."The job at Citi was entry level and it gave me a sense of how a big company works and what its strengths and weaknesses can be," said Heinert. "I moved to a community bank because I just thought I could do a better job as a local lender in a bank that was based in ag, which is what I knew the most about. Farmers State was the same way, but it gave me even a different perspective on how a bank could be run. All of those experiences gave me a rounded outlook at banking.".Heinert returned to Bank of Hoven in 1998 and sank his roots deep into the community. He joined the Hoven Service Club and the town's volunteer fire department. Meanwhile, the bank went through some significant changes. It purchased Peoples State Bank in 2001 and changed its name to Plains Commerce Bank. In 2002, it purchased Marquette Bank, Watertown, S.D. Today, the bank stands at $340 million. And when Plains President George Eberle stepped down in April, Heinert was tapped to take his place.."One of the greater challenges has been the office we opened in Sioux Falls in 2006," said Heinert. "It diversifies our portfolio a great deal. That branch has been doing really well. So far, the results have exceeded our expectations and the office became profitable before we expected. That's encouraging since the challenge in banking right now is the margins. Sioux Falls is the largest market we're in, and it's competitive. But we're digging in. We started with people who know the area and are otherwise learning the market basically the old fashioned way – pounding the pavement. Our greatest asset is having people who can get out there and sell the bank.".As he settles into being president of a bank that is growing its footprint, Heinert holds fast to a simple, time-tested philosophy. "The things I learned from my mentors in banking have mainly been that you just treat people fair," he said. "Working hard, being honest and being fair will get you along.".By Justin Dullum