Blissfield State Bank to celebrate 150 years with Saturday bash

BLISSFIELD — If it weren’t for its loyal customer base, Blissfield State Bank would not have been able to survive for as long as it has functioning as a locally owned and independent banking institution, Julie Goll, Blissfield State Bank president and CEO, said.

To thank its customers for helping it reach 150 years of service to the local community, Blissfield State Bank is throwing a 150th anniversary celebration from noon to 3 p.m. today at its main office in Blissfield, 204 E. Jefferson St.

Today’s celebration date, which Goll said was picked out in December, falls amongst a busy weekend in Blissfield and Lenawee County.

In Blissfield alone, besides the bank’s bash in its parking lot, the annual Black Squirrel Flea Market sale is happening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in downtown Blissfield and the Knights of Columbus Council No. 7832 is having its first of two scrap metal fundraiser drives this year from 8 a.m. to noon today in the rear parking lot of St. Peter the Apostle Light of Christ Catholic Parish, 309 S. Lane St.

With so much hustle and bustle going on, Goll is inviting people to enjoy a Saturday morning and afternoon in Blissfield. When stopping over at the bank, people can be treated to several food vendors, door prizes and cash giveaways.

A petting zoo with smaller farm animals will also be present, and the Blissfield Township Fire Department is providing a fire truck that people can check out.

Goll said the party is a way for the bank to show its appreciation for its customers.

“We encourage people to stop by; it doesn’t have to be for long,” she said. “Enjoy some food, play some games and hang around so we can tell people how much we appreciate them. You don’t get to 150 years without the support of the community.”

Blissfield State Bank remains one of the oldest and continuously operating businesses in Lenawee County. In terms of financial institutions statewide, Blissfield State is the third oldest locally and independently owned bank in Michigan, Goll said.

Blissfield State was founded in 1873, while the First State Bank of Decatur was founded in 1870 and Independent Bank, headquartered in Grand Rapids, was founded in 1864.

“It’s a pretty neat past to be a part of,” she said.

The bank is still committed to a business model of being community-minded with local leadership at the helm.

Goll, Blissfield State Bank’s first woman president and CEO, is in her ninth year as president and her 41st year with the bank. She originally worked as a receptionist and began moving her way up the chain of command, crediting her drive, tenacity, hard work and determination.

Arthur Gilmore was the founder of Blissfield State Bank on May 5, 1873, and was the first of 12 male presidents and CEOs in the bank’s history. Gilmore is famously known for opening The Advance newspaper in Blissfield and Adrian State Bank while also serving in the Michigan House and Senate, Goll said.

The former bank presidents in order include Gilmore, George Ford, Herbert Hathaway, A.D. Ellis, William Rothfuss, Lawrence Rothfuss, K.B. Glaser, F.D. Bailey, Hollis Ikle, Robert Sinclair, Robert Lips and William Ellis.

Agricultural loans were an important part of the lending in 1873 and continue to be an important segment of Blissfield State Bank’s loan portfolio, according to www.blissfieldstatebank.com, where detailed information about the bank’s history and mission can be found.

Through the course of 150 years, Blissfield State has never wavered from its core values, Goll said, even though the financial industry and banks are ever-changing.

“I have tried to follow suit in terms of the values as set by those before me,” she said. “Even in the tough times, you look back to the prior leadership and what they did for the community.

“We haven’t branched out. That's worked for 150 years. We have stayed the course, and I’m certainly not here to make some drastic changes.”

The world of finance is never boring, Goll said. One of the perks of the business is that clients and customers are pretty much family, especially at a community institution like Blissfield State Bank.

“There’s a balance, and you need to do what’s right for your customers,” she said. “... We still answer the phones here. Our customers are so thankful when Brenda (Butler) picks up the phone or one of our other employees answer a call. We’re of that mindset and business model of ‘I’m going to call you back at the end of the day.’”

In any business, keeping customer service standards to a high level is critical for success. In banking, and when dealing with people’s money, customer service needs to be top-notch, Goll said. Blissfield State’s 22 current team members excel at providing quality customer service relations, she said.

In some ways, a lot was learned about customer service coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Goll said. The pandemic changed the business flow and some decisions of the bank, but in the end, it ended up making its team members more appreciative of one another and of its customers.

“I think in some ways relationships are stronger (in the aftermath of the pandemic),” she said, describing the COVID-19 pandemic years as “one of the most daunting times for the bank.”

As a village, Blissfield has been able to weather a lot of downturns, she credited. So has its community bank.

“There’s vibrancy in our town. People have come back to town to live here, grow here and make their dreams come true here,” she said. “... Those of us in charge are trying to make things better for our individuals and families in the community.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Blissfield State Bank celebrating 150 years