October 2018
       

Message from our Board Chair 

Now is the time to act in order to take advantage of two great HCI deals.

The Fall Forum Training is just a few weeks away, but there is still time to sign up for this full day of important and beneficial training.  Check out the details below for everything you need to know to participate in the November 2 event in Dubuque.  Sign up by October 19.

Now, let's talk about Peer Group.  The Early Bird Rebate will save you $200 on the cost of this amazing conference, but you must register by October 31.  You won't want to miss the 2019 conference.  I have been going every year since 2003, and I learn something new every time.  

Make every effort to get yourself to Peer Group.  You won't be disappointed!

Val Kelsey, CBCD
Tip of the month

You don't need a huge marketing budget to grow your club membership.  Your greatest asset is the pool of people already working for the bank -- let your colleagues assist with bank club promotion.  There are many ways to engage tellers, personal bankers and others in the effort: 
  • Use weekly staff meetings to keep everyone informed of the club's activities
  • Create a training module to present to all employees
  • Take advantage of the direct customer contact that Personal Bankers and Tellers often have
  • Attend all the branch manager meetings to promote the club
  • Allow branch managers to go on trips with the club
  • Provide incentives to encourage their involvement
Check out all of the great ideas on the HCI best practice document titled Growing Bank Club Membership. 

As an HCI member you have unlimited access to a ll of our Best Practices documents on the member-only page of the HCI website with your member Log-In credentials. 

This, as well as all of our Best Practices documents, is only accessible to our members.  Not a current member? Renew your membership or apply for a new membership today.  Contact Tina at 952-835-6543.


HCI Fall Forum Training is just 2 weeks away
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER
Location:     Holiday Inn -  Dubuque, Iowa
Date:          Friday, November 2, 2018
Time:          9 am to 4:30 pm
Subjects:    Difficult Conversations and First Aid Training
 Cost:          $ 95

Morning Session
Learn to master the conversations that you dread whether dealing with an under-performing employee, disagreeing with a spouse, or addressing a delicate issue with a customer or family member.

Afternoon Session
Learn key skills to recognize and treat life-threatening conditions and injuries while on tour or at home.  You will learn First Aid, CPR, AED skills and more.

Lunch is included in the cost, as well as your training materials. The HCI rate for accommodations is just $79 per night.

Thank you to our Fall Forum Training sponsor Globus Family of Brands.

Register by October 19.

Hang out with fellow club directors and learn about a great tour destination by participating in the Dubuque Area FAM  tour starting Saturday morning.  Click here for all the details.  If you can't stay for the whole experience, just join for breakfast.  This tour is sponsored by Travel Dubuque.


Deadline for the Early Bird Rebate is 10/31/18
Don't miss the $200 savings!
Sign up for Peer Group today!!
 
Join us for networking, learning and fun at the only conference in the country designed especially for bank club directors.
 
 
All bank c lub directors should come to conference each year if possible.  Where else can you get new education, great motivational speakers, and forms to help you be more efficient.  Also, some of the best PTOs and vendors in the country to help plan your next adventure.  And last but not least, a network of other directors who support and encourage each other always.  It's just like a big family!!!
-Renee Zaiser, CBCD Two Rivers Bank & Trust, Burlington, IA
 
March 11 -15, 2019
Sarpy County (Omaha), Nebraska
featuring a Pre-FAM Tour March 8-11
 
We have some great education sessions planned for you to help you be the best club director you can be.
  • Succession planning
  • Motorcoach activities
  • Travel apps
  • Legal review
  • Storytelling
  • And more!
We also have great discounts for bank presidents, succession delegates, and additional delegates from the same bank.  Contact Tina to learn more about these cost saving specials.

Learn more on the HCI home page , or go directly to the Peer Group  site to sign up today.

Member Spotlight: Linda Harris
Hawthorn Bank
Jefferson City, MO
 

Many of you are acquainted with Jefferson City as a result of the 2018 pre-conference FAM tour. It is the capitol of the Missouri as well as the home of one of HCI's newest members - Linda Harris. Linda retired from teaching elementary school after thirty years, and found herself wanting to spend her time doing something that would allow her to continue to work with people. Two years ago, she became the part-time Central Region Elite Advantage Coordinator at Hawthorn Bank. Now she is able to serve the elderly instead of the young, and it has turned out to be a really good fit.

She plans event, daytrips and a few over-night trips for her members, and derives great satisfaction from giving people opportunities to get out of the house, socialize with others and learn new things. During a trip to Kansas City this past Spring, she was delighted to engage them in the tour of a small violin shop where her members "were just like kids learning something brand new." "It was fun to watch them be so interested and excited about what they were seeing," says Linda.

Linda has between 25 and 50 people participate in her events and trips. In addition to trips, she hosts bingo and pot luck lunches on a regular basis as well as classes such as cooking and crafting. "I like making fun for others," she says, "especially for people who are there because they want to be there."

Linda and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by taking an Alaskan cruise in August. Her travel goals include visiting all 50 states and hitting as many national parks as possible.

 
PTO Profile: Mayflower Cruises and Tours

 
 


We just returned from a fantastic Danube River Cruise with 33 club members. What a wonderful experience! Mayflower did an amazing job from meeting us in Budapest and taking us to our ship to our departure with our cruise director, Ana, making sure we got through the airport in Prague!  There was also a Mayflower rep on the ship, Carol, who bought us a gift for our cabin at each stop. Each stop was unique and inviting with some optional excursions to highlight the day.  Mayflower office employees were very efficient and kept me informed throughout the booking process. Thanks also to Kent Van Roekel for encouraging me to do this trip! It was awesome with many great memories!
-Renee Zaiser, CBCD Two Rivers Bank & Trust, Burlington, IA


     
Mayflower Cruises & Tours is celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2019! Over the years they have grown significantly thanks to the support of bank club groups and being a Preferred Tour Operator in Heritage Clubs International. In fact, they have been so successful selling Emerald and Scenic river cruises that they were recently acquired by the Scenic Group, LLC earlier this year. This new exciting change in ownership will allow Mayflower to grow stronger and prosper while supporting your travel needs as a bank club. They will be offering more of the wonderful river cruise and tour experiences your customers have grown to love. Today Mayflower offers more worldwide river cruise options than ever before to choose from, including first class 4 star options on Emerald Waterways ships and all-inclusive luxury 5 star experiences on Scenic ships. Their river cruising itineraries visit Europe, Asia, Egypt and new in 2019, Russia. If you haven't taken your group on a river cruise yet you are quite literally missing the boat on one of the most popular ways to see Europe and the world. Ask Mayflower about their free air promotions in 2019 and 2020 for your next river cruise group.

Mayflower is expanding their portfolio rapidly. In addition to river cruising they offer some fantastic touring options all over the world. Italy, Greece and Iceland have been the most popular land trips for Europe. With itineraries that allow you to see Italy's best cities by high speed train, stay multiple nights on the Greek islands and Witness the Northern Lights at affordable price points.

Many Bank Groups like small group experiences, and they can take advantage of this travel style with Mayflower on a variety of trips designed for smaller groups. Trips like Mayflower's East African Safari Adventure, the Essence of Panama, Flavors of India and Japan - Land of the Rising Sun offer unique opportunities for banks to promote smaller groups to the more exotic destinations in the world.

Don't forget North America either. If you are interested in the Western National Parks, the beautiful autumn foliage in the Northeast, or the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in the Midwest, Mayflower has excellent experiences in all of these areas. If your group enjoys trains, Mayflower has a variety of trips in North America that include a rail portion like the Rocky Mountaineer experience in Western Canada, the historic trains in Colorado and the wine train in Napa California, plus more!  

Mayflower Cruises & Tours is a group-focused, Midwestern company, that takes pride in their flexibility for bank clubs. Their dedicated team of outside Sales Managers and tenured inside support staff will work with you hand in hand to ensure every group you promote is successful. For marketing support they provide the highest quality customized flyers, postcard mailers and even posters that are printed in house for every trip you promote. Plus their experienced, professional sales team will take pride in their travel presentations that help you sell to your travelers. They are always available to help you plan a unique event to promote travel destinations to your groups and they are open to your creative ideas that will help sell your groups.
 
For more details and information about Mayflower Cruises & Tours please call and let them help you plan your next amazing travel adventure for your club. Reach out to any of your Mayflower HCI friends,  Sherri Guiborat, VP of Sales & Marketing, Michael Lundquist, Director of Group Sales,  Kent Van Roekel, or your local Sales Manager. Call 800.728.0724


 
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