Freedom Bank is Focused on You
- (406) 892-1776
- Routing # 092905456
Update: Happy April Fools’ Day!
Columbia Falls, MT – In an inspiring display of both business growth and physical agility, Freedom Bank has officially outgrown its office space, prompting an innovative solution: relocating the Bank President’s desk to the mezzanine level above the teller line.
Bennett admiring the Freedom Bank lobby from his new office atop the mezzanine.
President Don Bennett, a staunch advocate for open-door policies (now an open-air policy), has reassured customers that he remains as accessible as ever… provided they’re willing to scale a fifteen-foot ladder to reach him.
“For years, I’ve said my door is always open,” Bennett said, shouting slightly to be heard over the customers below. “And now, my entire office is open!”
Hauf on Bennett’s shoulders to mount the American flag on the trailer bank in 2005.
No stranger to defying gravity, Bennett earned his pilot’s license in his early twenties and promptly used it to impress his now-wife, Barbra, by whisking her into the skies in a Cessna 172. “He told me he wanted to show me the world from a new perspective,” Barbra recalled. “In hindsight, I should have realized that meant he would eventually run a bank from a balcony.”
Bennett’s history of altitude-related decision-making doesn’t stop there. In 2005, he successfully convinced Board member Ron Hauf to scale the bank’s temporary headquarters – affectionately referred to as “the trailer bank” – to mount an American flag. “He has an uncanny ability to always look toward the horizon,” Hauf said. “And now that I think about it, that might just be because he’s physically higher than the rest of us most of the time.” Hauf, pointing to an old photograph with him on Bennett’s shoulders for the stunt, added, “But hey, at least he believes in lifting others up.”
Tin can phone system.
To accommodate various levels of customer comfort, the bank has introduced two communication options: an extension ladder leading up to Bennett’s desk for those who prefer a face-to-face experience, and a state-of-the-art tin can telephone system for those less inclined toward heights. “The string is top-of-the-line,” Bennett assured skeptics. “Very little lag.”
Longtime loan customer Frank Delaney attempted the ladder climb to discuss financing for his expanding business but abandoned the mission halfway up. “I made it to the third rung, and that was plenty,” he said. “Luckily, I was able to holler my concerns up to Don, and he hollered back.”
In an effort to streamline communications even further, the bank is considering implementing a pulley system for document exchanges and a megaphone for addressing customer inquiries. Additionally, for the safety-conscious, Freedom Bank is proud to introduce a complimentary parachute policy for first-time ladder climbers. “We want our customers to feel secure, both financially and physically,” Bennett explained. “The parachutes are small, but they should slow folks down enough to enable a graceful landing near the fireplace.”
Bank employees have mixed feelings about the change. Lead Teller Lisa Decker reports occasional heart palpitations when Bennett leans too far over the mezzanine’s ledge to pass down loan advance slips. “I appreciate how engaged he is,” Decker said, “but I’d appreciate it more if he wore a safety harness.”
Despite logistical concerns, Bennett remains enthusiastic about the setup. “It’s a symbol of how high we’re aiming as a bank,” he said, standing triumphantly atop his new executive perch.
For now, the citizens of Columbia Falls will have to adjust to their high-flying banking experience – just be sure to hold the ladder steady for the next customer in line.
