"There’s a deep sense of care for our customers and our community." —Jum Brush
“For the most part, banks have the same products and services; the primary differentiator is the delivery of the product and services to the customer. At Summit State Bank, we care deeply about our customers, community and each other. We’re in the customer service business,” says Jim Brush, President and CEO of Summit State Bank. “We just happen to provide financial services.”
Indeed, Summit actually has its own “Ten Commandments,” called The Summit Way Service Standards that are published on its website, displayed on each desk and written in each team member’s job description. Commandment number four pretty much sums it up: “Always handle customers as if your life depends on it—it does. If we don’t have customers, we don’t have jobs.” Summit started as a savings and loan in Sonoma County 34 years ago. In 2000, it converted to a state-chartered commercial business bank.
“When you get a license to be a state-chartered commercial bank in California, it’s actually written in the charter that you’ll work for the greater good of the community,” says Brush, “and we take that to heart.”
Since transitioning, Summit State Bank has risen from the bottom quartile of performing banks to the top quartile of performing banks when compared with its peers, Brush shares.
“Our success really comes down to two things: our people and our culture,” he says. “People basically come to work for three reasons. First, they want to feel they’re making a difference—they want to help customers and their community. Second, they want to be recognized and valued. And finally, they want to be compensated for it. Here, it starts with our people and the culture we’ve developed.”
Summit State Bank has 67 team members (not “employees”). Headquartered on Bicentennial Way in Santa Rosa, Summit also has branches in Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Petaluma and at the Montgomery Village Shopping Center in Santa Rosa.
“If I could use only one word to describe our team, it would be ‘caring.’ There’s a deep sense of care for our customers and our community,” Brush explains. “Thirty-seven of our team members sit on boards of nonprofits and are active in their communities. Everyone gets one paid day per year to go into the community and volunteer. They follow their passion.”
Summit State Bank also has a unique partnership program for its nonprofit customers, which is now in its eighth year. As part of this program, charitable organizations with accounts on deposit at the bank receive donations based on average annual balances.
“The first year, we had eight nonprofit customers with $220,000 in deposits. Today, we have 154 nonprofits in the program with deposits of more than $30 million. The first year, we donated $2,796; this past year, we donated $258,275, which is more than 4 percent of our profit after taxes,” Brush says.
Among its nonprofit customers are Petaluma Health Center, Healdsburg Education Foundation and Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County.
And while its nonprofit and community outreach programs are to be lauded, Summit State Bank is also highly regarded for its partnerships with its business customers. “As a community bank we take great pride in building relationships with local businesses that value the personalized service we deliver and embrace the power of doing business locally,” says Brush. “In our more than 30 years, we’ve worked alongside many successful local businesses, such as Oliver’s Market, McLea’s Tire & Automotive, Big John’s Market and Outdoor Pro, which, through their success and growth, have provided opportunities for their employees, vendors and the local economy. It’s also important for our customers to know that their relationship with us assists with these growth opportunities through job creation, loans to small businesses and nonprofits and creates a sustainable local economy. Suffice it to say, it is a win-win for all.”
