First Federal Bank welcomes four new employees to its team, and each member expressed similar sentiments about serving the community, providing a better understanding of financial literacy and greeting the familiar faces that enter the bank.
The new hires, Maddie Blackburn, Erin Martinez, Madison Oden and Lacy Seymore, assumed the roles of loan processor, teller, receptionist and new account admin, respectively.
“When people walk in the door, we want them to feel comfortable,” Seymore said. “We want them to feel like family, not just like another number on a page.”
As individuals with roots in Littlefield, catering to customers’ needs feels more personable.
“It works well together, that we’re able to create relationships in our community, and then that spills over into helping them with their financial needs,” Seymore said, “whether that’s purchasing a home or just paying their bills and understanding what banking looks like for them.”
Outside of addressing customers’ goals, the new employees seek to accomplish personal goals through their time at the bank.
For Blackburn, earning her banking degree at Texas Tech was the first step in her career goals.
Through her new position, she aspires to work as a lender eventually.
“I feel like it’s beneficial to learn the ropes from someone else,” Blackburn said. “You can take notes and Google things on how to be a good lender, but I think it’s really just about watching the people above you and kind of shadowing how they do it and then putting your own take on it.”
Similarly, Oden said she aspires to advance in her position and establish roots in Littlefield. Her background as a former medical receptionist helped her handle sensitive information and understand people’s needs.
“Confidentiality with people’s financial information is really similar to HIPAA,” Oden said. “People are the most vulnerable in the doctor’s office and the bank; you never know what’s going on.”
Martinez said she aspires to learn more about banking as a teller and eventually work in other positions, potentially involving loans.
In addition to her work, Seymore balances her roles as a wife, mother, active member of the church, and supporter of her children’s activities. Likewise, Martinez laughed and said most of her time outside work revolves around her children.
The new hires’ dedication to the bank is universal. Helping each customer with their unique needs is above anything else they will do during their time at First Federal Bank.
“I want to be able to help people understand what banking really means,” Seymore said. “I think there’s a lack of understanding of just simple day-to-day budgeting. My goal is to help people understand how their money works and how they can make the most of it.”