Opening September 26

After nearly half a year of construction, renovation and upgrades, Waseca’s FM BANK is ready to open September 26. 

“Warming, comfortable and inviting,” is how local bank president Jon Butler describes the remodel of the former Wells Fargo building at 220 East Elm Avenue. 

“We didn’t want to just slap some paint on it and call it good,” Butler explained. “We wanted to take an empty building and bring it back to life.” 

Acting as the general contractor for the construction, Butler made sure nearly every aspect of the remodel was performed locally. More than a dozen local businesses contributed, including Bartelt Construction, BC Electric Service, Bill Kortuem, BIN PRO Dumpster Rental, Britton Plumbing and Heating, Gleason Carpentry and Design, Gutter Pros, Home Sweet Home Remodeling, Jason Folie, Johnson Masonry of Waseca, Lenz Lawn Care, Michael Bowers Drywall, Miller Homes, Rick's Appliance, Streamline Communications, Suburban Furniture and Flooring, Waseca Glass and Woodridge Interiors.

“All these businesses helped make it unique instead of ‘Hey, it’s the old Wells Fargo building,”’ Butler said. As far as staff is concerned, Butler, and FM BANK also maintained a local focus, employing five different Waseca natives. Emily Nelson is serving as a retail supervisor and mortgage lender. “She was an exceptional hire and an important part to this process,” Butler states. 

At the helm, of course, is Butler. Without him, there likely would be no FM BANK location in Waseca.

Butler, 41, is a Waseca resident who grew up on a farm between Blooming Prairie and Geneva. His parents, Tom and Christine Butler, worked about 1,000 acres on a Newry Township farm whose history dates back to the 1860s. 

In 2009 Butler married Waseca native Lyric (Nelson), daughter of Blain and Jody Nelson. The couple has two boys, Brayden, 12, and Brooks, 7. Brayden is a seventh-grader at Waseca Intermediate School and Brooks is a second-grader at Hartley Elementary.

Butler has worked for FM BANK for much of the past decade, most recently serving as executive vice president for all branches. Somewhere along the path of his 18-year banking career, he acquired and nurtured a dream of opening a bank in Waseca. 

“When you grow up on the farm, you can’t wait to get away from the farm; as you get older you really learn to appreciate it,” he recalled. “I know banking and I know agriculture… I had a strong feeling that an FM BANK located in Waseca could be something special. And now it’s happening.”

Butler explained the process, the story, of how FM BANK came to its decision. With a smile, he recalled how his longtime dream became reality. 

This opportunity was born with the closure of Wells Fargo. The owner of FM BANK had always told Butler if the opportunity to open a bank in the Waseca area presented itself, the company would explore it.  

“After the building sat on the market for a while, I asked if he would consider it. He told me to put together a proposal.”’ 

Based on Butler’s assessment and later a feasibility study, the company ultimately decided to purchase. 

FM BANK and Butler say the decision to open the Waseca branch is an expression of confidence regarding Waseca and its Ag and business communities–the group of people whose interests and needs Butler is intimately familiar with.

“We’re a small town, community bank at heart,” Butler explained. “We feel the stress of our customers because ultimately, we want to succeed with them. It’s very rewarding helping someone through the good times and the bad. We don’t want to be there only when things are good: We’re here for the long haul.” 

Sticking around for the long haul will not only be Butler, but the FM BANK Charter. 

FM BANK is the second oldest family-owned community bank in Minnesota, originally chartered in 1878. 

Butler shares that the name FM BANK is a salute to a history which began with Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Clarkfield (MN), commonly referred to as FM.  While the F in the name is intended to be seen as focusing on Agriculture (F as in Farmers) and the M as focusing on local community businesses (M as in Merchants), the name can also be interpreted more broadly considering the many consumer products offered, including home loans and consumer accounts.

When asked about what makes FM BANK different, Butler cited the organization’s pride in service. “Our commitment to the communities we serve, our ability to make local decisions, and our understanding of agriculture and business. These values are what drive our consistency - In any business or agricultural environment with economic cycles, it’s important to have a consistent bank that doesn’t waver in the ups or downs… Besides having a local touch, we offer a suite of products customers expect from larger banks - cash management, mobile banking, online banking with bill pay - but we offer these along with the level of responsiveness and service customers are familiar with at a smaller bank.”

Butler says he looks forward to continuing FM’s tradition of community connection.  “When my son comes home from school with ideas of community projects we should get behind, or tells me something new we should put in the bank; that makes it special.”

FM currently serves the communities and surrounding areas of Granite Falls, Clarkfield, Olivia, and Fergus Falls, where it has had branches located for many years; Butler says he looks forward to establishing the same strong record and reputation in Waseca. “Even though we’re new to town, with the support of our other bank locations, we’ll have the ability to help finance very sizable projects and operations in this area,” added Butler.

With the “soft opening” set for September 26, the bank will be open regular bank hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Wednesday Oct. 25 with more details to follow. More information about the bank is available at the organization’s website, www.mybankfm.com.