In a way, it’s almost akin to the Bailey Savings & Loan from “It’s a Wonderful Life.” You’re personally greeted when you enter, the tellers know your name, and some actually have pictures of their clients’ kids on their desks. It’s apparent that the “community” part of the name is taken seriously here. No wonder, then, that Napa Community Bank was named the Family Friendly Workplace for 2009 by the Napa County Child Care Planning Council.
“We want banking to be a pleasant experience,” says bank President/CEO Dennis Pedisich, a University of Santa Clara graduate (with a bachelor’s in history and an MBA in agribusiness) who previously worked at Crocker National Bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Napa National Bank. “We know that if we take good care of our employees, they’ll take good care of our customers. That’s why we pay half the cost of their fitness center memberships and encourage them—with paid time off—to be active in community service. It’s important that we develop close relationships so we know our clients well enough to fully understand their needs. The overall aim is to exceed customers’ expectations, enhance shareholder value—the bank has had 24 consecutive quarters of profitability—and remain a valuable asset to our community.”
Pedisich is emphatic that he’s not presiding over a mere bank. “What differentiates Napa Community Bank from other banks is that we have personality and energy. From the time you walk though the door to open a new account, you’ll notice the difference. Our goal is to make your banking experience positive and memorable. We take pride in getting to know you, and we call you by name. Our staff is experienced enough so that each and every employee has the authority to take care of your banking needs. They don’t need to check with someone else, they don’t need to call the East Coast. This makes your life easier.
“We don’t like phone trees, so a real person answers the phone. Fresh coffee is served daily and there’s popcorn on Fridays. Local artwork, which is changed every few months, adorns the long wall as you enter the bank. Next to the fresh flowers, our teller stations and desktops offer Jelly Belly candy. And—I know this is a novel idea—we have restrooms available for our customers.”
Implying that it was his Jesuit college training, Pedisich suggests that the oldest maxim—treat others as you would be treated—is a sound business philosophy. “Look, if we give back to our employees, and they give back to the community, then our customers are going to be comfortable coming in and doing business with us. We see that, particularly, by the fact that our customers, once they’re here, stick with us. Because I’ve been able to hand-pick my team of some two dozen employees, and because their skills give them the authority to do their jobs, we’re quite efficient and effective in our dealings. We have very little turnover on the employee side, and the fact that our people really enjoy working here is plainly evident to our customers. I almost hate to say it, but we’re a family—and we treat our customers the same way.”
The Napa Community Bank was only funded recently, in 2002, but intends to stick around. “One of our banners says, ‘Built to last, here to stay,’” says Pedisich. “I know we’ve seen all the recent takeovers—Washington Mutual by Chase, Wachovia by Wells Fargo, First Republic Bank by Bank of America. But we’re committed to a long-term vision of serving our community personally and well.”
