With long-established roots in Fremont County, Wyoming Community Bank is more than experienced bankers, they are your partner, your neighbor, your friend. The people that work there are part of this community just like you and me. They care and it shows in the service they provide. Ag Loan Officer, Nicole Gray is one of these people.
Nicole has spent time in Montana and North East Wyoming as an agriculture lender. In the spring of 2022, Nicole was looking to move to a smaller financial institution to continue working with agriculture producers and commercial borrowers and accepted a position with Wyoming Community Bank as an agriculture loan officer.
“My primary function as an agriculture loan officer is providing ranchers and farmers with a tool in their toolbox to help achieve their dreams,” states Nicole. “I love working with farmers and ranchers on a daily basis, salt of the earth, honest, and hardworking individuals. I enjoy assisting with their financial needs enabling them to cultivate high-quality Wyoming agriculture products.”
We took a moment to talk with Nicole about her day-to-day and what makes Wyoming Community Bank great.
What are the different types of loans and credit options available for farmers or the Ag industry in our area?
Wyoming Community Bank offers traditional agriculture loan products not limited to but including lines of credit for ordinary expenses, cattle loans, equipment loans, and agriculture real estate loans. WCB also works in coordination with Farm Service Agency as a certified lender to provide guaranteed loans for qualifying customers.
Talk a little about how closely you work with your customers to find workable solutions to their issues.
Agriculture lending has a different approach than a home loan or even a business loan. Agriculture lending produces more of a personal connection with customers as the majority of agriculture operations are typically family-owned businesses. Wyoming Community Bank prides itself on being a community bank and treating customers as a lending relationship rather than just providing a transactional service. To the agriculture customer, this provides a tool in their toolbox of resources. For some customers, personalized customer service can be a sounding board for different business expansion opportunities or provide guidance and different options for producers in a challenging operating year and how they move forward into the next agriculture cycle.
What is some advice you can give to someone looking for a loan? Talk about your personalized approach.
Requesting an agriculture loan or lending relationship requires a two-way conversation between the agriculture lender and the borrower. There are two components I ask borrowers to consider, communication and their goals. Borrowers and lenders need to easily discuss your agriculture operation, dreams, and also have difficult conversations in challenging years. The borrower also needs to consider their operational year-end, five and 10-year goals. These two components best assists the lender in meeting your agriculture financing needs and achieving your goals.
In your opinion, what makes WCB a better banking option?
Wyoming Community Bank’s primary focus is to provide good quality banking services to the residents of Fremont County. This offers an opportunity for lenders to be knowledgeable of the area and able to provide more personalized options to best fit your agriculture operation’s financial needs and goals.
For more information on how Wyoming Community Bank can help you with your farm and ranch lending needs, click here.
To contact Nicole, email [email protected] or call the direct line at (307) 857-9020.
