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“lots of community events, like shred Being a local, family-owned bank means the John’s
events where we offer e-waste services, institution and its officials are all about helping Creek,
which is a big thing we’ve taken on, local families and business owners, Dill said. Georgia, said
provided free to the community. You “I really believe in being part of the her firm’s number
don’t have to be a member,” he said. community where you work,” she said. “I one goal is to educate
Anyone who lives, works, worships or work with multiple nonprofits, and I believe their clients. WFG
attends school in Travis’ target counties can that what goes around comes around; and has thousands of financial
be a member, as can any Travis military that has always served me well, being out advisors across the country
member or their family members, he said. in the community and helping others.” who provide individualized
financial advice to their clients.
Travis Credit Union also hosts financial It’s a philosophy that is shared by
education seminars at libraries in Solano, First Bank, which may help explain “We provide advice and illustrate different
Yolo, Merced, Contra Costa and Napa why the Vallejo branch (established in options that are available to you and help
counties on personal finance topics, and 1981) was named the firm’s No. 3 in guide you to make sound decisions to protect
young adult financial education through performance for 2019, Dill said. your current income, and assets; to plan for
its “Mad City Money Program.” This is Headquartered in Missouri, where it was the future—if it’s setting up college funds
a life simulation exercise, wherein youth founded in 1906 as the Creve Coeur Farmer’s for your kids, planning a vacation, planning
“buy a home, a vehicle, child care, food, Bank to help the residents of a small farming for your retirement and even what you want
and other things while trying to stay on community near St. Louis reach their to pass on to the next generations—your
a budget, as delineated in their ‘profile’— financial goals, First Bank has been family children and grandchildren,” she said. “We
what they do, what their spouse does, owned for generations, according to its get to know our clients on a one-on-one
Helping to build your wealth children, expenses, income,” Petnicki said. website. The bank became First Missouri personal level. We follow up; we give the

“We even partner with volunteer tax assistance
Bank in 1973, and then First Bank in 1986.
personal service; we handle their needs and
programs for low-income taxpayers in First Bank’s family heritage began in answer questions directly; we don’t just give
Vacaville and Dixon,” he said, adding it’s all
by building a relationship part of the firm’s commitment to the cause 1910 when William F. Dierberg became them a 1-800 number to call. With my
clients, I have developed a trusting and long
president, the site says. “Clients enjoyed
of financial literacy and advocacy, “meant
relationship—everyone from young to old.
to help ensure people have the tools they the family-style approach to personalized We make a difference in people’s lives.”
banking services,” according to the website.
need to build a successful financial life.” “Important core values started taking shape
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo counties— interactions with customers, they pay dividends It’s a similar mission to that described as clients realized the value of a banker as Toni and WFG help their clients invest
said Kristofer Petnicki, the company’s to stockholders, he said. “Also, their investors by Freda Dill of First Bank. a businessperson, a partner, and a friend.” their money for the future in products like
community engagement officer. aren’t always local,” Petnicki said. “As a credit “We’re a family-owned bank, which is one The bank’s reins were handed in 1945 to mutual funds while protecting their future
As the delightful old saying goes, with products such as life and long-term
Founded in 1951 and headquartered in union, we are focused on people helping reason I switched from a big bank,” said Dierberg’s son, William Jr., who handed
there’s more than one way to skin care insurance. Sit down with Toni to see
Vacaville, Travis Credit Union is California’s people. It’s a cooperative model, a relationship Dill, who has been with the company for six it off again in 1966 to his son, James.
a cat—meaning there’s more than if she can help you reach your financial
14th largest such institution, with more between our organization and our members. years. “We look at how we can blend what Today the company is in its fourth
one way to accomplish a goal, and goals.To learn additional information about
than 203,000 members and in excess of $3 Our customers are member-owners, replacing they need with the products we have. We’re a generation of family leadership.
that’s as true for the finance/banking billion in assets, Petnicki said. It began as a both, and merging customers and investors.” community bank and really want to represent “At First Bank, our vision is clear,” the these organizations, visit their websites:
industry as it is for any other. cooperative of serving military members at This aligns the company’s community our community well. I spend a lot of time in website says. “As a family business ourselves, Travis Credit Union: traviscu.org
Travis Air Force Base who weren’t satisfied the community, getting the pulse of what they family-owned businesses hold a special First Bank: firstbanks.com
Locally, clients in search of ways to with traditional banking, he said. and business missions, he said. need. It’s not rocket science, it’s about listening World Financial Group:
manage their money have several different “We’re trying to generate benefit for our to the customers’ needs and matching them place in our hearts, and we’ll go the extra worldfinancialgroup.com
types of financial institutions to choose As one of the area’s leading financial owners, too, but in our case, they are our with the proper benefits of our product line.” mile to partner in their long-term success.
Although we strive to serve all of our clients
from, depending on their needs. institutions, “Travis Credit Union’s strength customers,” he said. “For instance, we give to
lies in its faithful commitment to its First Bank, which has 94 branches including to the best of our abilities, privately held
For instance, there are credit unions, financial members and the community, its solid, charities, at reduced and no fees, reduced rates the one in Vallejo, is a full-service institution, and family-owned businesses are a segment Rachel Raskin-Zrihen is a
advisers, bookkeepers, and traditional banks, secure history, and its long-standing track on lending products and higher rates on savings offering products like, “lines of credit to a we feel we can uniquely serve. For now, and Vallejo-based, award-winning,
and each serves a slightly different function record of dedicated service,” Petnicki said. products. A balance transfer at a bank often has small business or a HELOC (Home Equity well into the future, we’re looking ahead to veteran journalist, columnist
and author; a wife and the
or serves it in a slightly different way. “Our mission statement is, ‘changing lives a fee for this to get a lowered percentage rate. Line of Credit) for a home improvement,” find every avenue we can to help nourish mother of two grown sons, and
Case in point, Travis Credit Union—a not- and lifting communities through financial With a credit union, no such fee is charged.” Dill said. “We want to look at how our clients and support family-owned and privately held mother-in-law to two grown
daughters-in-law, presently
for-profit cooperative financial institution wellness.’ It means that, as a credit union, Out in the community, company officials can use the product to fulfill their current businesses, regardless of their size or tenure.” working to wrap her head
serving those who live or work in Alameda, we’re different than for-profit institutions work to make this clear, he said. need—giving them better cash flow or helping Also offering a personal touch, Toni Condit of around the idea of eventual
Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced, Napa, with external investors/stockholders.” As a “very local” institution, Travis them meet their goals for retirement, sending World Financial Group (WFG), an investment grandmother-hood.
a kid to college, or remodeling their home.”
Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, When such a bank generates a profit through Credit Union officials are involved in advisory firm founded in 2001 and based in

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