Cultivating Community Connections with Adam, John and Nathan Rutledge of First Security Bank
This week on the podcast, Brent sits down with Nathan, Adam, and John Rutledge from First Security Bank. All three, along with their father, are alumni of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and have made a significant impact in the state of Arkansas through their involvement with First Security Bank. During the episode, the brothers touch on the Rutledge family's history of growing the community bank throughout Arkansas since their father and grandfather first took over the bank in Searcy in 1977. The bank's asset size has grown from $46 million in 1977 to $7.5 billion today. They also discuss their focus on relationships and local communities while thoughtfully adapting to industry changes. The discussion offers a window into a multigenerational family business that is rooted deeply in communities across Arkansas.
Transcript
You know, you need to think about those things
Adam Rutledge:that you don't want people to remember about you as well,
Adam Rutledge:while you're in college, because you might be trying to do
Adam Rutledge:business with them at some point in time as well.
Brent Williams:Welcome to the be epic podcast, brought to you
Brent Williams:by the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of
Brent Williams:Arkansas. I'm your host, Brent Williams. Together, we'll
Brent Williams:explore the dynamic landscape of business, and uncover the
Brent Williams:strategies, insights, and stories that drive business
Brent Williams:today.
Brent Williams:Today, I have with me, the trifecta from First Security
Brent Williams:Bank, I've got John, Nathan, and Adam Rutledge. And so all of you
Brent Williams:thanks for for joining me today.
Nathan Rutledge:Glad to be here.
Brent Williams:Well, I'm excited to have these three
Brent Williams:because they're proud U of A, Walton College alum and making a
Brent Williams:cool impact in the state. And so, you know, I might maybe just
Brent Williams:start a little bit with those that are listening that many are
Brent Williams:probably familiar with First Security Bank, but maybe not
Brent Williams:everybody, you guys are a bank really focused on Arkansas.
Brent Williams:John, give us just a little bit of maybe the history of First
Brent Williams:Security and what the footprint looks like?
John Rutledge:Sure. You know, First Security Bank was started
John Rutledge:in 1932. If you think about the majority of the time, this
John Rutledge:existence, you know, banking regulations and laws in the
John Rutledge:state of Arkansas pretty much meant that every town in the
John Rutledge:state of Arkansas had a state chartered bank, a national
John Rutledge:chartered bank, and a savings and loan. And First Security
John Rutledge:Bank was the state charter bank in the town of Searcy you know,
John Rutledge:I think about 1932, in the depression, that's when most
John Rutledge:community banks were kind of kick started from scratch. And
John Rutledge:it was just a, you know, a capital raise in the community
John Rutledge:and, and gathered around business people that know that,
John Rutledge:you know, a bank is needed for a healthy economy and a local
John Rutledge:community. And so anyway, fast forward quite a bit of time our
John Rutledge:family got involved, our grandfather and dad got involved
John Rutledge:in 1977 with the bank. There's definitely an entrepreneurial
John Rutledge:background with both, both of our grandfathers on both sides
John Rutledge:of your mother and dad. And so this idea of, you know, having
John Rutledge:an opportunity to own a small bank and in a great small town
John Rutledge:in Arkansas, came to fruition in 77, we were all born there. And,
John Rutledge:you know, if you go through the decades, if you will, since dad
John Rutledge:and our grandfather got involved with the bank directly, you
John Rutledge:know, there's a lot of change and evolution in banking, and
John Rutledge:most of that, in hindsight turned out to be a great
John Rutledge:opportunity for First Security Bank, predominantly having to do
John Rutledge:with just the opening up of competition being able to grow
John Rutledge:across the state, which is what led us to Northwest Arkansas
John Rutledge:back in 97-98, branching laws were changing. And really
John Rutledge:through that period gave us an opportunity to move from what
John Rutledge:had been an acquisition mindset of local community banks around
John Rutledge:the state, slowly but surely just kind of one at a time, to
John Rutledge:an opportunity to really growing a brand and being able to kind
John Rutledge:of spread that across the state. So if you've asked for all the
John Rutledge:way today, we're, for the most part, kind of, we look like a
John Rutledge:funnel, if you were to layer a funnel over the state of
John Rutledge:Arkansas, the bottom of that would be kind of Hot Springs,
John Rutledge:Garland County, moving into Saline and Little Rock, Saline
John Rutledge:County, Little Rock, Pulaski County, then it moves over to
John Rutledge:Northeast Arkansas into Jonesboro, through Searcy where
John Rutledge:it all began. And then kind of moves across the northern part
John Rutledge:of the state down I-40 and up to Northwest Arkansas. And, you
John Rutledge:know, the company was I think 46 million in assets when dad and
John Rutledge:our grandfather bought the bank in 77. And we're about seven and
John Rutledge:a half billion in assets today. Asset size is how you kind of
John Rutledge:measure bank. There's a lot of other factors as well. But that
John Rutledge:that's kind of the way people talk about banking. And it's
John Rutledge:been it's been a neat opportunity for us to get
John Rutledge:involved. And you know ultimately the kind of core of
John Rutledge:who we are is a whole network of community banks, the focus on
John Rutledge:local community, still, kind of to the spirit of what the bank's
John Rutledge:purpose was in 1932 in Searcy but then at same time, I think
John Rutledge:you kind of mentioned family and I think family's, part of the
John Rutledge:reason we're here today,
John Rutledge:Yeah, we've had a wonderful opportunity to kind of
Brent Williams:Yeah.
Brent Williams:not only be a family business, but also, you know, have a
Brent Williams:culture of family inside our company. And then that
Brent Williams:opportunity to really think family and really serving our
Brent Williams:local communities is ultimately at the heart of who we are.
Brent Williams:Well, yeah, you know, tremendous growth and and
Brent Williams:a real focus on Arkansas. You mentioned, you know, you
Brent Williams:mentioned a broad coverage of the state, but you guys have
Brent Williams:chosen really specifically to focus on the state and your role
Brent Williams:in the state. Which, which I think is a wonderful part of the
Brent Williams:story. You know, well, you mentioned family, so I'm going
Brent Williams:to play off of that probably and and maybe Adam ask you, you
Brent Williams:know, so all three of you are involved, your dad's still
Brent Williams:involved, why is it so important for the three of you to have
Brent Williams:stayed involved in, in this business?
Adam Rutledge:Well, you know, it's, it's important for the
Adam Rutledge:three of us to be involved, because, you know, the
Adam Rutledge:foundation that our grandfather and dad have set before us, and,
Adam Rutledge:you know, just getting an opportunity to work alongside
Adam Rutledge:them, and just learn from them. And, at the same time work
Adam Rutledge:along, you know, your brothers and your siblings. You know, we
Adam Rutledge:were, we're very fortunate to be close as, as a family and close
Adam Rutledge:as brothers. And, you know, it's just a natural fit, going back
Adam Rutledge:to dad's initial opportunity, coming from a small town in
Adam Rutledge:South Arkansas, Smackover, to the University of Arkansas, and
Adam Rutledge:the Walton College. And, you know, I think that opportunity
Adam Rutledge:for him, and the relationships that he gained through that is
Adam Rutledge:what drives his passion for the state and this college and this,
Adam Rutledge:you know, university. So that opportunity, and, you know, he
Adam Rutledge:gives a lot of credit to that, just the relationships that he
Adam Rutledge:got here. And, you know, he still credits those today. I
Adam Rutledge:know, he didn't get to make it up here today, but he was going
Adam Rutledge:to be with some of those friends today matter of fact. But just,
Adam Rutledge:you know, a family business is fun, you know, getting to
Adam Rutledge:brainstorm and solve problems together. You know, we are in
Adam Rutledge:different parts of the state, which probably makes it a little
Adam Rutledge:easier, we're not quite on top of each other's toes. But we
Adam Rutledge:have been intentional about getting together, at least twice
Adam Rutledge:a month. And, you know, one of those meetings is pretty formal.
Adam Rutledge:The other is whatever agenda we want it to be.
Brent Williams:Okay.
Adam Rutledge:And we haven't always done that. But as, as the
Adam Rutledge:company's become more dynamic, and opportunities have arisen,
Adam Rutledge:we've had to set aside that time to be strategic, to have those
Adam Rutledge:discussions that are important. It's a lot of fun.
Brent Williams:Yeah, well, it seems like a lot of fun being
Brent Williams:around you guys is certainly a lot of fun. And, you know, you
Brent Williams:know, Adam, you mentioned the U of A as a as a core part of your
Brent Williams:dad's story in building his network. But Nathan, all three
Brent Williams:of you have attended the Walton College. And, and I just kind of
Brent Williams:wondered what it's meant to you all personally, I know maybe
Brent Williams:I'll go to everybody on that.
Nathan Rutledge:I think we all have kind of our own story with
Nathan Rutledge:it, the just thinking back to our dad's story and kind of his
Nathan Rutledge:connection with it. Just in conversation, if you were to
Nathan Rutledge:bring it up, or have him talk about his story, and kind of how
Nathan Rutledge:it all connects from South Arkansas, all the way to being
Nathan Rutledge:in banking in Searcy, when he gets to the portion of the U of
Nathan Rutledge:A, and the connections and the friends and the relationships. I
Nathan Rutledge:mean, you can just tell that, so much of everything that he has
Nathan Rutledge:become ties back to the relationships that he developed
Nathan Rutledge:here and what he learned here, obviously, as well. And so, to
Nathan Rutledge:me, that's fun to see in him because you can over the years
Nathan Rutledge:his passion for for the Walton College and the University comes
Nathan Rutledge:out in lots of ways, whether it's calling the hogs or whether
Nathan Rutledge:it's trying to work on connecting the dots between
Nathan Rutledge:people he's met through the university, and each of us tied
Nathan Rutledge:back to the family business side of things. None of us ended up
Nathan Rutledge:in the bank, on purpose or on some long term strat strategic
Nathan Rutledge:plan. It all just sort of kind of happened its own way. And I
Nathan Rutledge:would say the same goes for the university, we we all just sort
Nathan Rutledge:of ended up here. Now we had lots of connections here with
Nathan Rutledge:family in Northwest Arkansas, coming to Razorback games and
Nathan Rutledge:having fun up here. But we were never encouraged or forced to
Nathan Rutledge:come to the University of Arkansas, it was always just
Nathan Rutledge:something that each of us made our own decisions. So I think
Nathan Rutledge:just from a parenting style, it was kind of it's kind of fun to
Nathan Rutledge:look back and think about how we really were given encouragement
Nathan Rutledge:to go and work hard and be successful. And don't be lazy
Nathan Rutledge:and get up every day and go to work. But the University of
Nathan Rutledge:Arkansas was always something that I think they knew that they
Nathan Rutledge:would like for us to go to but the only really encouragement
Nathan Rutledge:was just if you're going to work in Arkansas, whatever you do,
Nathan Rutledge:the relationships that you build at the University of Arkansas
Nathan Rutledge:are going to pay dividends, I promise. So if you plan on
Nathan Rutledge:staying in Arkansas, that's where we kind of got a little
Nathan Rutledge:bit of encouragement, but we all were, I feel like, given free
Nathan Rutledge:reign to kind of think through that decision on our own. Which
Nathan Rutledge:being the youngest son I think is probably a little different.
Nathan Rutledge:John and Adam both might have different stories with that but
Adam Rutledge:I have a little bit I have a little I have
Adam Rutledge:different memory, primarily from the standpoint that, you know,
Adam Rutledge:if dad was going to pitch in any towards my further education,
Adam Rutledge:and I wasn't smart enough to get scholarships, so I didn't have
Adam Rutledge:too many options that, you know, there wasn't, if I was able to
Adam Rutledge:get into the University of Arkansas, that was where he was
Adam Rutledge:going to contribute to my education. Outside of the state,
Adam Rutledge:for the most part, you know, I was gonna have to figure that
Adam Rutledge:out on my own through student debts and other things. But I do
Adam Rutledge:remember that encouragement and to echo Nathan, you know, if you
Adam Rutledge:plan on doing business in the state of Arkansas, it's sure
Adam Rutledge:important, you're a step ahead of your competition, if you
Adam Rutledge:already had those, that foundation of relationships that
Adam Rutledge:you gain while you're on campus.
Brent Williams:And, John, I assume that, you know, I mean,
Brent Williams:you, you said, I think you said something like You're a, like
Brent Williams:this network of community banks sort of quilted together into
Brent Williams:First Security Bank. Community banking is remarkably
Brent Williams:relationship driven in here. So so I'm sure that's part of the
Brent Williams:key advantage.
John Rutledge:Yeah, no doubt, I think. I mean, ultimately, the
John Rutledge:like I said, hindsight is such a great way to kind of view
John Rutledge:things. And even though you may have gotten there, by mistake,
John Rutledge:or by some natural path, and not in some strategic plan, you know
John Rutledge:you can look back and really appreciate certain influences,
John Rutledge:right. And one thing's for sure, being in the family business
John Rutledge:now. You know, raising our own kids now, and just with all
John Rutledge:that's going on, across the state, and we're all in
John Rutledge:different markets, we overlap some but not always, we have
John Rutledge:these bonds that kind of you know keep us together. A it's
John Rutledge:work right, then it's family. But we also have this tie of, to
John Rutledge:the university and to the Walton College, and growing up
John Rutledge:Razorback fans, and there's just, there's something about
John Rutledge:all that that helps pull you together. And instead of
John Rutledge:dividing you or maybe feeling disconnected, and I can't
John Rutledge:imagine what it would be like honestly, thinking about it,
John Rutledge:just listen to everybody talk, what would have been like if one
John Rutledge:of us went somewhere else, and would have felt like that kind
John Rutledge:of left out, outsider, honestly. Whereas now, you know, we're all
John Rutledge:thinking about the Razorback game this weekend, or we're all
John Rutledge:thinking about what's happening with a recruiting class, or
John Rutledge:what's the Walton College doing? Or, you know, how's it growing?
John Rutledge:Everybody cares about that because we are all connected to
John Rutledge:it.
Brent Williams:Yep.
John Rutledge:And as family I think it's more about what keeps
John Rutledge:you connected as you start raising your own kids than it is
John Rutledge:about the things that maybe divide you or make you
John Rutledge:independent.
Brent Williams:Yeah, well, I, you know, that that point of
Brent Williams:connectedness I talked to our students about all the time, I
Brent Williams:mean, you know, when you think about what you what you get out
Brent Williams:of a college experience, certainly what you're learning
Brent Williams:and what's happening in the classroom, critical,
Brent Williams:internships, work experiences, but I encourage our students not
Brent Williams:to underestimate the power of building a network while they're
Brent Williams:here. Because it is maybe the best asset that they can build,
Brent Williams:in my opinion.
John Rutledge:Yeah. And one of the advantages, you know, that
John Rutledge:we've had is that if you go from the beginning of my time here
John Rutledge:to, you know, through Adam's time, and Nathan's time, and
John Rutledge:there's some overlap through there, but you know, that's,
John Rutledge:that's several years probably covers almost a decade of time,
John Rutledge:where one of us was here with a connection to, to different
John Rutledge:groups of people. So now that we're all on the same team
John Rutledge:working everyday together, if you will, you know, between the
John Rutledge:three of us, there's about a decade of Walton College
John Rutledge:students that we probably have a connection with, which is kind
John Rutledge:of a neat advantage in Arkansas.
Brent Williams:Absolutely. And, you know, in Arkansas', kind of
Brent Williams:a unique place. Right. I mean, the, the degrees of separation
Brent Williams:in Arkansas are very, very few. You know, it's, it's a, it's a
Brent Williams:tight, close knit state. And I think that's what makes it so
Brent Williams:fun to be a part of not only the state, but the business
Brent Williams:community.
Adam Rutledge:Absolutely. I had lunch with a guy yesterday.
Adam Rutledge:First, first time, we've really met face to face and discuss,
Adam Rutledge:you know, life and work and everything in between. And, you
Adam Rutledge:know, he crossed John and I here and here, and at Walton College,
Adam Rutledge:and the university, and the connections were just, you know,
Adam Rutledge:profound in a matter of an hour lunch of, you know, just across
Adam Rutledge:the board of how many common folks we know, and it was kind
Adam Rutledge:of surprising we've never really know, known or met each other.
Brent Williams:Yeah.
Adam Rutledge:But going back to, you know, it is a small
Adam Rutledge:state. And it's amazing how you can those relationships really
Brent Williams:Yeah, the word seems to be getting out that
Brent Williams:cross up.
Brent Williams:this is a great place to live and a great state to do business
Brent Williams:and we've certainly seen that, you know, in the growth of the
Brent Williams:college. Well, you know, I wonder, you know, as you guys
Brent Williams:are looking forward, the banking industry is, is one that has
Brent Williams:changed, you know, John, I think you started off, you mentioned,
Brent Williams:you know, being in a regulated business, you know, as you've
Brent Williams:talked about some of the growth. So I know regulation is
Brent Williams:something I'm sure that's changing. The way I'm sure
Brent Williams:you're connecting with your customers digitally is changing.
Brent Williams:So I guess as you guys are looking forward, you know, over
Brent Williams:the next, I don't know, you know, 5, 10 years of the bank,
Brent Williams:what's some of the things that you've got on your mind about
Brent Williams:how the industry is changing? And how you're adapting to that?
Adam Rutledge:It's a tough question.
Nathan Rutledge:I would say just that it is changing. And so
Nathan Rutledge:I've kind of come up a little bit behind John and Adam, the
Nathan Rutledge:thing that I when the conversation around any
Nathan Rutledge:particular type of service or connection point comes up, it
Nathan Rutledge:seems like we always end up with kind of the both and conclusion,
Nathan Rutledge:which is, we want to be able to continue to maintain kind of the
Nathan Rutledge:same customer service, the same connections with our customers
Nathan Rutledge:in person. But we got to figure out how to meet them where they
Nathan Rutledge:want to be met at the same time, but we don't want to just be
Nathan Rutledge:there. We want to be there in person as well. So I think we're
Nathan Rutledge:always trying to, to kind of figure out what's the both and?
Nathan Rutledge:And then one of the challenges we face is that kind of the
Nathan Rutledge:banking industry's been around for a long time. So a lot of the
Nathan Rutledge:providers that we have great relationships with, vendors or
Nathan Rutledge:what have you, they've been around for a long time. So the
Nathan Rutledge:technology that they have, is big, because it's had to grow
Nathan Rutledge:over time. But it might not be as nimble. And so we're always
Nathan Rutledge:kind of battling conversations around trying to meet the needs
Nathan Rutledge:of our customers now, but we have these legacy relationships
Nathan Rutledge:that are not easy to change, do we, do we want to jump into that
Nathan Rutledge:right now? Or do we want to be more patient because it might
Nathan Rutledge:take some of our partners a little longer to get there, and
Nathan Rutledge:there's different phases that we're able to move through where
Nathan Rutledge:we can solve that on our own, we might choose to be patient to
Nathan Rutledge:get there. Or there's other things that we're able to go
Nathan Rutledge:kind of challenge our team to go be creative and find a different
Nathan Rutledge:vendor, find someone else that can make it fit and make it
Nathan Rutledge:work, so that we can meet our customers where they want us to
Nathan Rutledge:be now even though we hadn't gotten there. So another thing
Nathan Rutledge:that's fun is just you know, with all year, the governor, the
Nathan Rutledge:prior governor talked a lot about coding and development,
Nathan Rutledge:we've kind of had a little bit of fun trying to see an
Nathan Rutledge:experience of what is what would somebody like that on our team
Nathan Rutledge:be like, what problems could we solve? And so trying to kind of
Nathan Rutledge:think through that and trying to create our own solutions has
Nathan Rutledge:been a fun experience, just the past few years.
Adam Rutledge:I think about some meetings and discussions
Adam Rutledge:we've had over the last, you know, 12, 24 months. And, you
Adam Rutledge:know, this is kind of strategy related, not as much industry
Adam Rutledge:related, but it kind of goes hand in hand about, you know,
Adam Rutledge:who we are. And we find ourselves from a size
Adam Rutledge:standpoint, much smaller than our big regional competition
Adam Rutledge:that are that are Arkansas based, but larger than, you
Adam Rutledge:know, just, you know, a few market, but community banks,
Adam Rutledge:that that think more like we do, and, you know, so we really want
Adam Rutledge:to focus in, in the future, remembering what got us here
Brent Williams:Yeah.
Adam Rutledge:And the steps that took to be successful. And
Adam Rutledge:but at the same time, you know, we've got to be able to bring in
Adam Rutledge:added technology, and, you know, so, so the term that comes to
Adam Rutledge:mind, we've got to be a kind of that big little bank, you know,
Adam Rutledge:we still got to be nimble and function and, and, you know,
Adam Rutledge:provide that, you know, that quick service, quick answers to
Adam Rutledge:our customers. But we're able to do some, some bigger stuff as
Adam Rutledge:well, due to our size. So, you know, I think that's important
Adam Rutledge:for us to, to remember our past as we think about the future,
Adam Rutledge:and the direction we want to go. And, you know, with with the
Adam Rutledge:three of us pretty close to the past, I think that's something
Adam Rutledge:that three of us can can make sure that we stay grounded in
Adam Rutledge:that past but yet really focused about the future and what we can
Adam Rutledge:be as a bank, for the state of Arkansas.
John Rutledge:My, if I, if I could add in,
Brent Williams:Yeah.
John Rutledge:In my way of thinking about it from a
Brent Williams:Yeah.
John Rutledge:So we spent, I would say we're very conscious
John Rutledge:technology perspective, and just how fast things have, I mean,
John Rutledge:it's ultimately been changing our business since the day we
John Rutledge:all started working on it, right, but but there's been a
John Rutledge:real rapid pace lately. And then there's been, you know, really
John Rutledge:behavior changes of things like COVID and work from home and all
John Rutledge:of it, we had a lot of conversation around it, we've
John Rutledge:these other things that have really put the accelerator on
John Rutledge:some of that. But ultimately, if you look at it really in our
John Rutledge:business, and specifically, I think that technology is your
John Rutledge:ticket in the game, right, is is the ticket that you need to stay
John Rutledge:in the game changing? Yes, constantly. But it is not
John Rutledge:determining who wins. And I think there's so many industries
John Rutledge:where technology has an opportunity to come in and be
John Rutledge:such a disrupter that it literally determines the winner
John Rutledge:and loser. Banking is so relational. There's just no way
John Rutledge:to really cookie cutter majority of what we do in our communities
John Rutledge:across Arkansas, that we really feel like our secret sauce or
John Rutledge:got teams focused on it, we want to make sure we're not getting
John Rutledge:our competitive advantage is not necessarily the technology, it's
John Rutledge:it's a lot of other things. But we got to make sure we got to
John Rutledge:take it in the game to have a chance. Right?
John Rutledge:left out. But there's a huge effort towards let's talk about
John Rutledge:what determines who wins. And it's a lot of other stuff.
Brent Williams:What a good point, I don't want to I'm gonna
Brent Williams:recap what I think I heard there, but don't let me put
Brent Williams:words in your mouth or react to this. So I think what what
Brent Williams:you're saying is yes, you know, technology, your technology as a
Brent Williams:bank is going to have to evolve with with customers. And, you
Brent Williams:know, that range of customers you serve, you know, looks very
Brent Williams:different, right? Some are much more technologically driven than
Brent Williams:others. But, but no matter what, no matter if we're talking
Brent Williams:about, a new college graduate, you know, that is borrowing
Brent Williams:money or opening a checking account to, you know, your most
Brent Williams:experienced business owner, you know, that you're servicing
Brent Williams:still relationship is key to competitive advantage.
Adam Rutledge:Absolutely.
John Rutledge:Right.
Adam Rutledge:You know, it's relationships with our fellow
Adam Rutledge:bankers too we're extremely fortunate to have a great, great
Adam Rutledge:team across the state. You know, you almost wish you had more
Adam Rutledge:time, sitting in my seat, and we had a lender summit over the
Adam Rutledge:last, you know, 12 months that we had three different sessions.
Adam Rutledge:You know, it would be, it's so fun to get together as big
Adam Rutledge:groups, different markets all in one spot and spend some time
Adam Rutledge:together, brainstorm strategizing. And it's something
Adam Rutledge:that's, you know, as we've grown, it's hard to do, when you
Adam Rutledge:find time to be out of the office all at once. And, and we
Adam Rutledge:had to do it in three different sessions. But it just, it
Adam Rutledge:reminded you, man, I wish we could do that more often.
Brent Williams:Yeah,
Adam Rutledge:You know, going back to connection, you know,
Adam Rutledge:connection, not just in your community, your customers, but
Adam Rutledge:within your team.
Brent Williams:I'm really interested, you know, in
Brent Williams:banking, if you're going to be relationship driven, and or
Brent Williams:that's your competitive advantage. And you're still I
Brent Williams:think you said, I think you said, you know, we're gonna be a
Brent Williams:big little bank. that means you've got to be able to attract
Brent Williams:really good people into those markets. And that's not easy.
Brent Williams:Right? You know, I'm sure there's a lot of competition for
Brent Williams:those people. How do you guys think about attracting and and
Brent Williams:retaining talent throughout your organization?
John Rutledge:Never stop working on it. I think it's
John Rutledge:always part of the conversation.
Nathan Rutledge:That I just that it is, it's I think we've
Nathan Rutledge:had some conversations and been forced to have some
Nathan Rutledge:conversations over the past couple of years, about people
Nathan Rutledge:and kind of what's our planning process? And how does all that
Nathan Rutledge:work? And are we on it? Are you are you doing enough? Do you
Nathan Rutledge:have a good plan? And our response has always been a we,
Nathan Rutledge:we kind of all do it all the time, we're always thinking
Nathan Rutledge:we're always talking. But as far as just moving forward, I don't
Nathan Rutledge:know that we have any great brilliant ideas on how we
Nathan Rutledge:attract the people that we've got. But we've got wonderful
Nathan Rutledge:people, I think, yesterday that I stepped in real quick to a
Nathan Rutledge:little training session that we had in Searcy on customer
Nathan Rutledge:service, and I just snuck into the last hour and kind of sat in
Nathan Rutledge:the back to see how it was going. And the last hour was a
Nathan Rutledge:fun little hour that I actually ended up in making comments
Nathan Rutledge:about I should have come all day, all those things were
Nathan Rutledge:basic, but I needed to hear everything y'all were learning.
Nathan Rutledge:And there's a fun little video that our training team had put
Nathan Rutledge:together that facilitated that day worth of training. And it
Nathan Rutledge:was lots of little interviews of all of our different people
Nathan Rutledge:talking about lots of the different things that we want to
Nathan Rutledge:train and incorporate. And they all were asked what makes what's
Nathan Rutledge:the difference in First Security and our training marketing group
Nathan Rutledge:that kind of did the video said it was awesome to hear the
Nathan Rutledge:answers to these questions and we got to that one. Everyone
Nathan Rutledge:said the people that's what makes a difference here at First
Nathan Rutledge:Security. So as far as our plan to hire the best people moving
Nathan Rutledge:forward, we're always thinking about it. But, but I would say
Nathan Rutledge:probably the people we have already are who are helping us
Nathan Rutledge:attract more good people. And so that was just a fun little
Nathan Rutledge:instance, where getting everybody in one room, love
Nathan Rutledge:seeing everybody, they all had good stories, they were all
Nathan Rutledge:sharing good things. And then to hear that last video kind of cap
Nathan Rutledge:off about, they all said it's the people that makes the
Nathan Rutledge:difference. And I would say it's probably the people that are
Nathan Rutledge:helping us continue to attract good people.
Adam Rutledge:Absolutely.
John Rutledge:Yeah, it's we got to really, we're fortunate to
John Rutledge:have a really strong culture, we're fortunate have some
John Rutledge:amazing people that are ultimately the ones who are
John Rutledge:supporting and holding up to that culture, and living that
John Rutledge:out daily in all our markets. And so, when it comes to, you
John Rutledge:know, the idea of adding new people to the team, I think, you
John Rutledge:know, it seems like making sure there's a great fit, because
John Rutledge:that person fit our culture. And, and more importantly, we
John Rutledge:better make sure they know what they're getting themselves into.
John Rutledge:Yeah, but more times than not what Nathan said is exactly
John Rutledge:right. We have the opportunity to add them to our team, because
John Rutledge:they already know our people, and they already know our
John Rutledge:culture. So it's really just, it's the work that everybody
John Rutledge:else is doing holding this high standard that we're just trying
John Rutledge:to make sure we don't mess it up.
Brent Williams:Great people attract great people.
Brent Williams:Yeah, that's exactly right. Well, before
John Rutledge:They really do.
John Rutledge:before this started, we were all kind of reminiscing, you know,
John Rutledge:about what the what the university looked like, when
John Rutledge:when you guys were here, when I when I came here for the first
John Rutledge:time. So it makes me think I might close with a question. I
John Rutledge:love all all of three of you to weigh in on, you know, put
John Rutledge:yourself back, I don't know how ever long ago it was that
John Rutledge:you're, you know, a Walton College student ready to
John Rutledge:graduate or middle of middle of you know, you kind of got
John Rutledge:through the freshman, sophomore year, you're starting to figure
John Rutledge:out what you want to do. Knowing what you know now, what's one
John Rutledge:piece of advice, you know that you would give one of these 8000
John Rutledge:undergraduate students or so that's a part of the Walton
John Rutledge:College today.
John Rutledge:I think ultimately, it's get to know the
John Rutledge:people you're in class with. And get to know your instructor.
John Rutledge:Predominantly, though, it's the person sitting to your right and
John Rutledge:your left. And I think sometimes, you know, obviously,
John Rutledge:in college, there's so much fun to be had. And I can think of
John Rutledge:lots of days, I couldn't wait to get out of class and go go enjoy
John Rutledge:some of that. But, you know, you really will be amazed looking
John Rutledge:back where the people are sitting left and right of you
John Rutledge:and in that class with you where they might end up and where your
John Rutledge:paths might cross again. And I think if you had the perspective
John Rutledge:of knowing that I'm going to have a high likelihood of
John Rutledge:running into these people again. And there's an opportunity to
John Rutledge:possibly even do business with, I literally have a cold call
John Rutledge:this week from a guy that I was in college with, the Walton
John Rutledge:College, calling me about an opportunity. And I have not seen
John Rutledge:him in over 20 years. And I don't know how he got my cell
John Rutledge:phone. But he did. And he was persistent. And it was a great
John Rutledge:conversation just to catch up. And so to me, it's just really
John Rutledge:be aware of the fact that you're sitting in a class with a bunch
John Rutledge:of people that you'll probably do business with, or have an
John Rutledge:opportunity to.
Brent Williams:You know, John building on that. It was a
Brent Williams:couple nights ago that I got to talk to about 400 freshmen
Brent Williams:sitting in an auditorium. And, and one of the things that I
Brent Williams:told him, I walked to one side of the auditorium and said,
Brent Williams:there's somebody sitting here, that if you go across the room
Brent Williams:that's going to get to know somebody across the room, they
Brent Williams:don't know, and there's going to be a relationship that's going
Brent Williams:to impact their career, they're going to do business together,
Brent Williams:you know, something's going to happen, because those
Brent Williams:relationships, I couldn't agree more. He took a good one, Nathan
Brent Williams:and Adam.
Adam Rutledge:He did.
Brent Williams:How are you gonna follow that up?
Adam Rutledge:The only thing you can do is just kind of
Adam Rutledge:piggyback off of that.
Adam Rutledge:Really, obviously, the academic side of
Adam Rutledge:it's important. And, and I was one that I needed to be sitting
Brent Williams:Okay.
Brent Williams:What a good point. You know, I don't think I've heard that one
Brent Williams:on the front row, and I was encouraged by my father to sit
Brent Williams:on the front row. And so I remember that still to this day.
Brent Williams:So I would pass that along, as well as being in class and sit
Brent Williams:exactly what I've asked this question to podcast guests. Take
Brent Williams:on the front row. Because the academics are important, but
Brent Williams:their relationships are equally as important. And to piggyback
Brent Williams:on what John said, is, is not just the potential of doing
Brent Williams:business with somebody in that room. But, you know, I was 18,
Brent Williams:did some stupid things. You know, I was 21, did some stupid
Brent Williams:things. You know, you need to think about those things that
Brent Williams:you don't want people to remember about you as well,
Brent Williams:while you're in college, because you might be trying to do
Brent Williams:business with them at some point in time as well. And so, just
Brent Williams:just thinking back, I didn't think about that while I was in
Brent Williams:college that you know, some of those things I did in college
Brent Williams:that might be what I'm remembered by somebody I'd like
Brent Williams:to do business with today, so.
Brent Williams:care of your reputation.
Brent Williams:Absolutely.
Brent Williams:From from the act,
Adam Rutledge:That's all you got. And it's hard to when you
Adam Rutledge:lose it, it's hard to get it back. So, you know, I just, I
Adam Rutledge:think about that, and I did like to have a good good time in
Adam Rutledge:college. And you know, I think it's important that reputation
Adam Rutledge:and your last name you need need to protect it.
Brent Williams:What a good point, how are you gonna follow
Brent Williams:that up, Nathan?
Nathan Rutledge:Oh, I I guess I'll take a different angle a
Nathan Rutledge:little bit and point out something that that may be
Nathan Rutledge:relevant or may not. But thinking about just myself in
Nathan Rutledge:college and other people that I knew in college, you kind of had
Nathan Rutledge:opposite ends of the spectrum, you had some they were just in
Nathan Rutledge:college, they were gonna get through, but they're gonna have
Nathan Rutledge:fun, they weren't really worried about life. They knew they'd
Nathan Rutledge:figured out eventually, they might kind of pick a college,
Nathan Rutledge:but they didn't really know why. And you had others that whether
Nathan Rutledge:they were able to be focused and knew their path, but still have
Nathan Rutledge:fun or not have fun, not participate, because they knew
Nathan Rutledge:their path, you have people that didn't know their path and did.
Nathan Rutledge:And they just kind of went along their way. I feel like things
Nathan Rutledge:that I've gotten involved with just in communities, thinking
Nathan Rutledge:about workforce development, economic development in small
Nathan Rutledge:town, Searcy, thinking about high school kids thinking about
Nathan Rutledge:different types of job opportunities, whether it's
Nathan Rutledge:college bound, or whether it's getting into the workforce, out
Nathan Rutledge:of high school. Regardless, I think about how so many people
Nathan Rutledge:just don't know what they're good at. They don't know what to
Nathan Rutledge:do, you just hear that so much, even from people that I know my
Nathan Rutledge:age now still feel like they stumbled around and I had
Nathan Rutledge:somebody willing to work in that cruise in Little Rock kind of
Nathan Rutledge:suggests maybe going to do some aptitude testing. And really, I
Nathan Rutledge:just thought it might be fun. Just because I know John and
Nathan Rutledge:Adam and I are going to work together for the rest of our
Nathan Rutledge:lives, it might be kind of fun to know a little bit of where I
Nathan Rutledge:should lean, I guess I could be a little bit of the stubborn one
Nathan Rutledge:in the family. So I kind of thought there's a chance I might
Nathan Rutledge:lean one direction, out of being stubborn. And that's really not
Nathan Rutledge:how it was designed. So I spent a little time going through this
Nathan Rutledge:little aptitude testing and found a really interesting
Nathan Rutledge:thought it was good for me. And since then I've always just
Nathan Rutledge:thought back of kind of how the high school path, the college
Nathan Rutledge:path. Regardless, if you want to get serious at life now or
Nathan Rutledge:whether you want to kind of get through but have a lot of fun,
Nathan Rutledge:probably a good idea to just have a little bit of a little
Nathan Rutledge:bit of a thought of kind of how you're designed and what you
Nathan Rutledge:might want to lean towards. So that could sort of guide you. So
Nathan Rutledge:to me, I think it was a fun, a fun opportunity to kind of learn
Nathan Rutledge:a little bit about how I was designed, I think it might be
Nathan Rutledge:good for others to think about, and I wish it was done more. And
Nathan Rutledge:then regardless, if you're the type that's head down, and I'm
Nathan Rutledge:working hard through college, or you're making your grades, but
Nathan Rutledge:you're having a lot of fun, it's going to set you on the path
Nathan Rutledge:that is probably going to help you get to where you want to go.
Nathan Rutledge:So I would encourage folks to think about that.
John Rutledge:To make sure I echo what he's saying is he got
John Rutledge:Adam and I to do it as well.
Brent Williams:Yeah.
John Rutledge:And yeah, I found it really helpful.
Brent Williams:Yeah.
John Rutledge:And what's been awesome, not only did it help
John Rutledge:the three of us kind of have a better feel for each other, it's
John Rutledge:helped me communicate things with people I'm responsible for
John Rutledge:at work today. And in ways that just really helps them see
John Rutledge:things a little different, then, you know, most of the world is
John Rutledge:so much more clear cut. And this, you know, this kind of
John Rutledge:mindset really kind of opened someone's mind to some new way
John Rutledge:of thinking and,
Brent Williams:I agree and it gives you a little bit of a
Brent Williams:language to talk about, right? You know, it kind of it helps
Brent Williams:you understand yourself, helps you understand others. And then
Brent Williams:it kind of gives you a common language that you can use like
Brent Williams:oh okay, now I know what that means when I'm seeing this
Brent Williams:person act this way, or this is how they respond in in periods
Brent Williams:of stress and all those sorts of things. Well, I wanted to say
Brent Williams:thank you all for being willing to spend this time today and be
Brent Williams:on the Be Epic podcast. It's kind of a rare opportunity for
Brent Williams:me to get to sit down with three brothers that are involved in,
Brent Williams:in in a big business throughout Arkansas. So thanks for what
Brent Williams:you're doing in state and thank you for what your family has
Brent Williams:done for the Walton College and for the University of Arkansas
Brent Williams:we're, we're certainly proud of all of you and what you're
Brent Williams:doing. So thank you.
Adam Rutledge:You bet. Thank you and to the University and
Adam Rutledge:the Walton College for what you've done for our family.
Brent Williams:Absolutely. On behalf of the Walton College
Brent Williams:thank you for joining us for this captivating conversation.
Brent Williams:To stay connected and never miss an episode, simply search for Be
Brent Williams:Epic on your preferred podcast service.
