Dale Rosier’s banking career began more than 25 years ago, when on October 15, 1998, he was hired at Grand Rapids State Bank as a loan and compliance officer. He and a partner had tried their hands as restaurant managers, but after a few years Dale realized that banking might offer a more stable career.

“My work now involves helping folks with their lending needs,” Dale explained, “which usually means getting to know them enough to give them the right advice. For many, this involves purchasing a home, so I help them understand the requirements to make that happen. Seeing folks realize their dreams is one of the most satisfying aspects of this job.”

Dale acknowledged that the lending industry is highly regulated, all with the intent of ensuring that all customers are treated fairly and consistently.

“Overall, these regulations are a good thing for everyone, even though the paperwork can be daunting,” admitted Dale. “It’s challenging as a community banker, but by being consistent we’re doing the right thing for our customers and the community.”

Grand Rapids State Bank prides itself on being a community bank, and part of that identity comes from the personal relationships formed over the years with friends and neighbors in the area.

“I try to form a one-to-one relationship with a prospective customer,” said Dale, “and that has typically meant face-to-face meetings. Our mantra here at GRSB has been helping people responsibly build their financial future, and that’s held us in good stead.

“What has really changed during my career is the expectation the next generation of consumers have of a bank,” he continued. “They don’t need or even necessarily want to have a face-to-face relationship with their banker, and I think COVID launched or accelerated some of that thinking. During COVID, people weren’t encouraged to enter the bank, so they learned how to do things differently. This has been a huge change for the personality of this bank, so now it’s almost unusual for a customer to want to meet with us face to face.”

These changes have meant that the bank has embraced new ways of doing business. For community banks, investments in bricks and mortar have taken a back seat to spending on technology.

“When I started as a young lender, I would look to the veteran bankers and see how they did business,” Dale continued. “There was a lot of emphasis on looking someone in the eye and ending meetings with a firm handshake. Those things are not the driving forces they once were.”

Even as the banking business has changed, Dale’s personal focus on family—his family and families in the community—has remain unchanged. His community focus was evident in the 20-plus years he dedicated to serving on the Grand Rapids Fire Department, several of those as fire chief. He has served two stints on the Itasca County Family YMCA board, 30-plus years as a member of the Eagles Club, and most recently as a director of the Star of the North Lions Club. Later this year he’ll assume the role of president of that service club.

Dale still loves hunting, fishing and water recreation when he’s not working or volunteering in the community. And he reserves time to be a devoted grandfather to his five grandchildren, all of whom live within a three-hour drive of Grand Rapids. Dale explained that he and his wife, Peggy, spend “as much time as we can with our three adult children and their families without being too disruptive.”

“As I reflect on the opportunity to have worked with three of the four generations of Wilcoxes who’ve owned this bank,” Dale added, “I’ve tried to embody the community focus that has been the intent for generations of the bank’s ownership. That has been foundational for me personally. The banking world is changing, and I try to impart to my coworkers that what carried us to this point is focusing on personal relationships and community involvement.

“It will be a challenge for us,” Dale continued, “and particularly for younger bank employees and leaders, to deliver our services with speed and accuracy to retain those returning customers.”

Dale Rosier NMLS #646664
Grand Rapids State Bank NMLS #595567