Carrie Weiler
Union Bank & Trust pays it forward. Daily.
For nonprofits looking for a more holistic approach to advance their mission and become financially secure, the employees at UBT make it happen. And not just with banking needs. The family-owned bank goes above and beyond helping others in the community.
“We look at it more as ‘how can we add value to what they are doing in the community,’” said Forrest Newburg, vice president of commercial banking manager at UBT. “We live, work and play here, so it’s natural to want to make our community the best it can be. We care about the people we serve, whether it’s to address their banking needs or volunteer or donate items.”
The bank, which provides a full range of financial services to its customers, was recently recognized as an Omaha’s Choice Awards winner for its philanthropic work throughout the community. Bank employees work side by side with area nonprofits, volunteering their time and talents by donating thousands of meals and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.
The company’s corporate support is focused around three key areas — education, the arts and community betterment. UBT has donated more than $2.7 million and supports more than 250 nonprofits.
In the past year alone, 597 employees participated in community involvement, including 63% of UBT’s Lincoln employee base. A total of 2,822 volunteer hours were tracked, and 223 employees participated in a variety of drives, donating items such as clothing, educational resources, pet supplies, food, household goods, personal care items, toys and more. In addition, 194 employees served on nonprofit boards, and 162 employees participated in six blood drives, yielding 310 units.
Forrest Newburg
In addition to its community support, Carrie Weiler, vice president of treasury management services at UBT, said the company is able to provide myriad options and a suite of products that can be tailored specifically to each nonprofit organization. From Day One, each client is assigned to a treasury management expert to meet with them and identify needs and objectives. That information is then used to create the right mix of services to achieve that organization’s specific goals.
For example, a line of credit could finance an expansion or fund a capital campaign. Electronic money transfer via automated clearing house can be used to collect pledges and donations. And UBT’s merchant services and software can be put to work to keep an organization’s financial operations running smoothly.
“Let’s say a group of individuals have agreed to donate a large sum of cash over a 3-to-5-year period,” Newburg said. “But the nonprofit organization needs to pay for the project costs within the next 12 months. UBT can help bridge the gap by offering a line of credit to fund the construction work now while those pledges are collected over time to pay back the loan.”
UBT’s job, Weiler said, is to help every client efficiently carry out their mission.
“We do a great job at exploring ways to make their nonprofit more efficient, so they have a better understanding of their financial system. And they don’t have to call an 800 number for that help,” Weiler said. “We are right here in the community. We are local.”
For more information about UBT, visit ubt.com.
