Editor’s Note: This sponsored contest was brought to you by Alpine Bank.
Photos courtesy of Alpine Bank
Alpine Bank has five core values that inspire the culture at each of its 40 locations across Colorado. These values not only inspire the way Alpine Bank does business with its customers, they also inspire the ways employees live their lives.
Independence, integrity, loyalty, compassion and community encompass the decisions Alpine Bank makes every day, including its philanthropic decisions, which have been a cornerstone of its business since opening in 1973.
“Since our inception, our owner and founder, Bob Young, has always had a tremendous heart for giving back to the community,” said Matt Hanson, regional president for Alpine Bank in Summit County. “We’re not just about providing financial services, it’s about elevating life and access to community resources for people, whether they’re customers or not.”
Living with a sense of purpose is one of the nine habits of the world’s longest living people, according to Blue Zones research. If this is the case, Hanson and other Alpine Bank employees are well on their way to live long, fulfilling lives.
“Every employee here, from front line staff to banking officers, are encouraged to volunteer within the community,” Hanson said.
Photos courtesy of Alpine Bank
Longevity and purpose
Purpose in life is defined as having goals, a sense of direction, and a feeling that there is meaning to present and past life.
“Purpose in life has been associated with positive health outcomes among older adults, including fewer chronic conditions, less disability, and reduced mortality,” according to a 2018 report in the journal Population Health Management.
At Alpine Bank, employees find purpose through volunteering at various levels within the community. Alpine Bank pays employees for 24 hours of volunteer time per year, which can include things like serving food to those in need or helping FIRC organize their shelves.
“It a great incentive and reward for our frontline staff when we say, ‘we’d like you to be out in the community and we’ll pay you for it,’” Hanson said. “Through their volunteering, we hope to develop a level of altruism – that in the future, our people would be out there because they believe in what they are doing.
Photos courtesy of Alpine Bank
Community impact
Hanson sits on the boards for both Backstage Theater board and the Breckenridge Film Festival.
“Some of my greatest days at work are some of the days spent out in the community,” Hanson said. “Those are some of the most important and fulfilling days.”
The very nature of small, community banking gives back to the community in other ways such as small business loans or Alpine Bank’s loyalty rewards debit card, which Alpine Bank donates 10 cents of its own money for every dollar spent back to the community.
“We like to believe we walk what we talk,” Hanson said. “You can really measure your impact in the community by asking if the community would miss you if you weren’t there. I’d like to think that if Alpine Bank wasn’t here, the community would really miss us. We really invest and believe in our community.”