Shared with permission from the South Dakota Bankers Association.
As part of the SDBA’s mission to grow South Dakota’s future bank leaders, we are featuring a monthly emerging leader. This month’s feature is on Maggie Groteluschen with The First National Bank in Sioux Falls.
First-Ever Job
After years as a camper, I was a junior counselor for the YMCA Camp Leif Ericson in Sioux Falls. I think we earned a weekly stipend of $50, but I loved the place and always learned a lot of practical skills doing some of the grunt work so I never minded. I eventually worked my way up to be a camp counselor for many years.
Emerging Leader Story
I am proud and honored to be the fifth generation of the Baker family to begin a career at The First National Bank in Sioux Falls. My entire childhood, I always recall stating that I wanted to work at the bank when I grew up. I figured the best way to practice was to be the “banker” whenever we played Monopoly as a family. I job shadowed and interned for the bank during college and law school and officially started my career as a personal trust officer after finishing my MBA and JD in 2012. After eight years, I have worked to become a team leader and now manager of our 24-person personal wealth division. I am often asked what the future will hold, and I plan to be here! For now, I am focusing on the learning and growth that comes with being a new manager and enjoying my work one day at a time.
What She Most Likes About Her Job
I manage our personal wealth division, and my team works to understand clients’ long-term financial goals and then creates plans to partner with them to obtain those goals. We act as a fiduciary in the administration of investment, IRA, personal trust and estate accounts. I love working in the banking industry as we seek to be a trusted partner along life’s financial journey. We are there at the beginning when a person is starting out and hoping to accumulate wealth. We are there in the middle when a person needs credit to pursue a dream. We are there in later years when a business might sell or a liquidity event occurs. We are there in the end to help a family determine how to pass on their legacy.
I love that we can help people and positively impact the lives of all of our stakeholders—our customers, employees, shareholders and communities.
If She Could Have Any Job
I would go back to being a camp counselor again. It combines my love of working with and helping people with my passion for spending time outdoors.
What Motivates Her
I love being a wife and mom. My husband, Kyle, and I have two sons, Garrett (4) and Charlie (2), and a baby girl due to join our family in January. We also dote on our Airedale Terrier, Murphy. My other passions include traveling, reading, spending time outdoors and knitting.
Parental Advice She Still Follows
A learned skill from my mom—whipping up and digging into a batch of no-bake chocolate drop cookies can quickly improve any bad day.
In Her Spare Time
A little exercise (pilates, yoga, going for a jog or walk) and/or a glass of red wine. I also enjoy getaways to northern Minnesota lake country where both my grandmas reside in the summertime. We try to unplug for at least a week each summer to enjoy beach, water and family time. I attended the University of Nebraska- Lincoln as an undergraduate, where I met my husband. We continue to be avid Huskers fans and are excited for the return of Husker football in a couple weeks.
