2009 Press Releases

Additional Information: 2010 | 2008

Promoting from Within to Better Serve You


Kerry Dixon Business Development Officer	Christina Stock Deposit Sales & Service Assistant Manager	Andy Wilczynski Deposit Sales & Service Assistant Manager
Eastman Office	Frankenmuth Office	Ashman St. Office

Kerry Dixon has been promoted from a Loan Processor/Closing Specialist to Business Development Officer, specializing in residential lending at Wolverine Bank. A native of Grand Haven, Michigan, Horan has been employed at Wolverine for the past 9 years and brings over 25 years of real estate, title insurance and mortgage lending experience to her new position. She currently serves on the Board of Michigan Bankers Title on behalf of Wolverine Bank. Kerry's primary focus will be helping new and existing customers achieve their goals through providing mortgage lending products backed by the strength and expertise of one of the most financially stable banks in the country.

Christina Stock has been promoted to Deposit Sales and Service Assistant Manager at the Frankenmuth office of Wolverine Bank. With over 11 years of banking experience, her primary focus will be building relationships with new and existing customers, by providing them with quality banking products and services, as well as assisting with the management of the Frankenmuth office. A former Delta College student, Stock enjoys cooking, home improvement projects and volunteers for the Michigan Humane Society to raise awareness and donations.

Andy Wilczynski has been promoted to the Deposit Sales & Service Assistant Manager of the Ashman Street office of Wolverine Bank. He is a graduate of Northwood University where he received his BA in Automotive Marketing/Management. A Bay City native and graduate of Bay City Western High School, Wilczynski returns to the Great Lakes Bay Region after living in Raleigh, North Carolina where he worked for Hendrick Automotive in automotive finance. His primary focus is helping to grow business through marketing and community awareness by helping to promote the exceptional staff and services offered by Wolverine Bank. Andy is looking forward to assisting individuals and businesses with all of their financial needs.

For more information on the wide array of loan and deposit products Wolverine Bank has to offer call (800) 968-4280 today.

Wolverine Bank Rates Tops in Banking

October 2009: Wolverine Bank, Midland, Michigan takes great pride in receiving a 5-Star Superior rating for financial strength and stability from BAUERFINANCIAL, Inc., Coral Gables, Florida. 5-Stars is the highest rating attainable from BAUERFINANCIAL (the Nation’s Bank Rating Firm for over a quarter of a century) and is based on the overall financial picture of the institution.

Earning a 5-Star rating indicates that Wolverine Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation. In fact, this is the 84th consecutive quarter that Wolverine Bank has earned this highest honor. Only 1% of the nation’s banks can claim this distinction.

Given that, it is not surprising that Karen L. Dorway, president of BAUERFINANCIAL, has high praise for Wolverine Bank. “Wolverine Bank has avoided the lending and underwriting problems that have plagued much of the banking industry. It is clear that the team at Wolverine Bank remains diligent in adhering to sound banking principles and standards.”

Established in 1933, Wolverine Bank has been serving the banking needs of its neighbors and friends for 76 years. It currently operates through four conveniently located offices in Midland and Frankenmuth, loan centers in Saginaw, Grand Rapids and Lansing and may also be found on the internet at www.wolverinebank.com.

Wolverine Bank: “Safe. Strong. Trusted. Proud to be headquartered in the Great Lakes Bay Region.”

BAUERFINANCIAL, INC., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating and research firm, has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays for its rating, nor can it be eluded. Consumers may obtain star-ratings by visiting www.bauerfinancial.com.

There are 8% Fewer 5-Star Banks than Last Year,
But Wolverine Bank is Still Tops

June 2009: BAUERFINANCIAL, Inc., Coral Gables, Florida is proud to announce that Wolverine Bank, Midland, Michigan has earned its highest 5-Star Superior rating for financial strength and stability. BAUERFINANCIAL, the Nation’s Bank Rating Firm, has been analyzing and reporting on the nation’s banks for over 25 years. The rating is based on the overall financial picture of the bank, and a 5-Star rating indicates that Wolverine Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation. This is the 83rd consecutive quarter that Wolverine Bank has earned this highest honor; only 1% of the nation’s banks can claim this distinction.

“The number of 5-Star rated banks is diminishing”, comments Karen L. Dorway, president of BAUERFINANCIAL, “but that doesn’t mean they are extinct. Wolverine Bank is an excellent example of traditional, prudent banking. In this new era of ‘back to basics’ thinking, this is exactly what you should be looking for in a bank.”

Wolverine Bank was established in 1933 and has been serving the banking needs of its neighbors and friends for 76 years. It operates through four conveniently located offices in Midland and Frankenmuth, a loan processing center in Saginaw and can be found on the internet at www.wolverinebank.com.

Wolverine Bank: “Your hometown, independent, community bank offering flexible, accessible, personalized products and services.”

BAUERFINANCIAL, INC., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating and research firm, has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays for its rating, nor can it be eluded. Consumers may obtain star-ratings by visiting www.bauerfinancial.com.

New Addition to Deposit Sales & Service Team

June 2009: Tom Johnson has recently been hired as Wolverine Bank's Assistant Manager of the S. Saginaw Road location. His primary responsibilities will include building strong relationships with current customers and introducing new customers to Wolverine Bank.

A graduate of Midland High School, Tom attended Central Michigan University where he majored in Business Management. He also played on the CMU basketball team.

Prior to joining Wolverine Bank's Deposit Sales and Service team, he worked in both sales and management for the automotive industry. He is currently involved in Associated Builders and Contractors, Ducks Unlimited, and the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tom, his wife Kendra and son Conner reside in Midland and enjoy spending time outdoors.

Frankenmuth Office Gets a Facelift

May 2009: The Wolverine Bank branch located at 464 N. Main in Frankenmuth is about to undergo a facelift both inside and out. The branch, built in 1979, will soon begin renovations, which will help our Frankenmuth team provide an even warmer welcome for existing and new customers to our office.

This investment is another way of demonstrating our dedication to this beautiful city which is such a key driver in our region's economy. Wolverine sees great things for Frankenmuth and will continue working to create opportunities to build success for our customers and community.

We invite you to stop by our Frankenmuth location to see why Wolverine Bank is your community bank - Built on Trust.

Wolverine Bank Welcomes Tige Culbertson

May 2009: Tige Culbertson has been hired as a Business Development Officer for Wolverine Bank. His focus will be working with new and existing customers in the residential mortgage lending area. Tige's most recent experience was as a realtor for Century 21 in San Antonio, Texas. He received his B.A. from Concordia University in Chicago, Illinois and his Masters of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tige, along with his wife Sara and his daughter Faith have recently relocated to the Great Lakes Bay Region, where he enjoys helping people achieve their goals, watching movies, and all things outdoors.

For more information on how Tige Culbertson can help you with your mortgage lending needs, call (989) 633-2865.

Wolverine Bank

Celebrates 75 Years of Service to Midland
and Reflects Upon 5-Star Rating

Built on Trust

April 2009: At Wolverine Bank’s recent annual meeting, President and CEO, David Dunn thanked the customers, employees, and Board of Wolverine for their commitment to the bank. He noted that it is gratifying to know that for over 75 years Wolverine has been able to provide strong, stable and trusted financial solutions to the residents of the Midland area. Among all banks in our country, including the well-run and admirable community banks which traditionally have been the backbone of our economy, Wolverine is in the top 1% for long-term financial stability. The 5-Star rating which Wolverine has held for 20 consecutive years is not the goal, it is the result of and recognition for the fact that Wolverine has upheld its values, no matter what the economic conditions or the competitive environment. These values are built upon trust—customers can trust that Wolverine truly cares about them while providing solutions that are exceptionally competitive in any market place. Wolverine Bank is proud to say that we have and will always maintain our focus on doing the right thing for customers—we played no part in creating the current financial crisis, have not taken bailout funds, and we actively work to preserve and improve the quality of life for all in our communities.

More people are realizing that doing business with Wolverine is an investment in Michigan, because Wolverine Bank is headquartered in Midland and the money invested with us stays right here. This enables Wolverine Bank to continue to make loans to Michigan businesses and residents. With loan rates at historic lows, more Michigan residents will be able to benefit from the fact that Wolverine is still strong and still lending.

Wolverine stands with our customers in reaffirming a commitment to our local communities while looking forward to a bright future for the Midland area. In fact, we continue to expand our offerings, recently announcing our HI Power Checking (4% Interest) account. This new product provides an exceptional way for customers to make the most of their hard-earned money. Products like this will continue to provide customers with high value combined with the security of a 5-Star bank.

Even if a customer is fully FDIC insured, banking with an institution you can trust makes all the difference. While FDIC insurance is important, there are many other things that could go right or wrong with a banking relationship. For instance, being placed into the right product which provides the best balance of rate and liquidity is critical. You should not have to wonder if you are being charged excessive fees or have to deal with confusing penalties. Just as importantly, you should not just be a number to your bank—you should be a person with unique financial needs and goals. At Wolverine, the 5-Star rating represents the trust customers can have in us to be honest, forthright, and recommend the right thing for them.

Wolverine Bank has a long tradition of Board members who exemplify the trustworthiness and community commitment of Wolverine. This year, Wolverine honored its outgoing Chairman, Bill Schmidt, who retired after 20 years of distinguished service to the bank. Schmidt, former Assistant Controller of The Dow Chemical Company and CFO of Dow AgroScience, has been an integral part of Wolverine’s success and will be missed by the Board and employees of Wolverine.

Wolverine also congratulated our new Chairman, Rick Reynolds. Reynolds, President of MidMichigan Health, has served on the Wolverine Board since 1985 and most recently has been the Chairman of its Planning Committee.

Eric Blackhurst was welcomed as a new member to our Board. Blackhurst has a distinguished career as legal counsel for The Dow Chemical Company and currently serves as Senior Managing Counsel, Business Services, Ventures and Strategic Development. A Midland native, Blackhurst is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Alma College and the University of Kentucky College of Law, earning a J.D., with highest distinction. Prior to joining Dow, he was an attorney in the securities and banking group at the firm of Snell and Wilmer in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a member of the Michigan and Arizona Bar Associations as well as the Phi Beta Kappa Society and the Order of the Coif.

Existing Board members who were congratulated on their reelection were Roberta (“Bobbie”) Arnold, who serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Strosacker Foundation; David Dunn, President and CEO of Wolverine Bank; and Ron Sexton, Retired Corporate Treasurer of Dow Corning Corporation.

In addition to the above, the Wolverine Board also includes: Dr. Herbert Camp of MidMichigan Physicians Group; Julie Fasone Holder, Sr. Vice President, The Dow Chemical Company; J. Donald Sheets, Dow Corning Corporation Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Americas Area President; and Joseph VanderKelen, President, SMI Snow Makers.

Our Wolverine Bank leadership team includes: Joell Anthony, Controller and Secretary; Valerie McCloy, Manager of Consumer Underwriting; Lisa Orlando, Loan Sales Manager; Rick Rosinski, Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer; John Schmitt, Manager of Commercial Underwriting; and Sharon Starks, Senior Business Development Officer.

To view a printable version of this article, click here.

New Year, New Banking Concerns, But Not if You
Bank at Wolverine Bank

January 2009: Wolverine Bank, Midland, Michigan proudly announces it has earned BAUERFINANCIAL, Inc.’s highest 5-Star Superior rating for financial strength and stability. BAUERFINANCIAL has been analyzing the nation’s banks for over 25 years and has earned the reputation as “the Nation’s Bank Rating Firm”, so to garner its highest 5-Star rating is a time-honored badge of distinction. Customers of Wolverine Bank can be proud that their bank still shines, even under the watchful eye of the BAUERFINANCIAL microscope. The rating is based on the overall financial picture of the bank and at 5-Stars indicates that Wolverine Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation. This is the 82nd consecutive quarter that Wolverine Bank has earned this highest honor; only 1% of the nation’s banks can claim this distinction.

“This New Year in particular brings with it a whole new set of worries, but where a consumer banks shouldn’t be one of them”, remarks Karen L. Dorway, president of BAUERFINANCIAL. “Some banks ignored proper loan underwriting standards in recent years and are now paying the price for that decision. But, Wolverine Bank is a prime example of a bank that has stuck to traditional, wise banking strategies, which, in this climate, is exactly what the ‘other banks’ are returning to. Wolverine Bank is a model of banking safety and soundness and its customers can rest assured in that knowledge.”

Established in 1933, Wolverine Bank has been serving the banking needs of its neighbors and friends for over 75 years. It currently operates through four conveniently located offices in Frankenmuth and Midland, a loan processing center in Saginaw, and can be found on the internet at www.wolverinebank.com.

Wolverine Bank: “Still Strong. Still Lending.”

BAUERFINANCIAL, INC., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation’s leading independent bank rating and research firm, has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays for its rating, nor can it be eluded. Consumers may obtain star-ratings by visiting www.bauerfinancial.com.

###

BAUERFINANCIAL, INC. 2655 LeJeune Road, Penthouse One, Coral Gables, FL 33134.