What happened to the Millennium Club at Iowa Falls State Bank after Don and Jan Ruhde retired?  The natural fit happened! Kathy Bengtson, Customer Service Coordinator and Millennium Club Secretary, was asked by the bank president to fill the position and lead the Club.  "Kathy had already built relationships with the Millennium Club members and had a passion for seeing the club continue," says President Doug Truex.  Kathy was very familiar with the workings of the club, but still had many questions.  She and her husband, Gale were very excited to spend a day of specialized training with Ted Nelson of HCI and then attended the Fall Forum in Omaha to reinforce her training, where she met other club directors.

Kathy and her management team have felt the transition has gone very smoothly. Kathy has kept a lot of the club's traditional events and also added a few new ones that have been an exciting change for the club.  Kathy laughs when she looks back at her first couple months and trips. "You plan and anticipate every single detail of each trip or event, until you get off the bus first and forget to tell the passengers which side of the bus gets to exit first ... oh the little things."

Kathy has kept her Customer Service Coordinator position at the bank.  She is the first smile customers are greeted with when they enter or when they call on the phone, she also helps many departments with daily operations.  She says, "I am thrilled to be able to be the Millennium Club director along with my current role; they really fit together nicely."  As a new club director she has received and been encouraged by many words of advice like: "It takes a little while to learn what your members like," and "Plan well and they will see something they enjoy on the agenda."  The best advice she's received and still echoes is, "You can't please everyone all the time."  "But," she says, "It is my nature to always try!" She has learned that sometimes you just need to be "extra kind" to some people.  

Peer Group  is coming up and Kathy is looking forward to meeting peers, touring Vermont on the FAM tour, learning and getting ideas for possible trips with Preferred Tour Operators.  She won't be the only new club director at the conference.  Currently, there are five new club directors who will be attending for the first time.  Please approach them and share your advice, they are sponges ready to soak up experiences.  Remember your first year?