HNB commemorates 35 years of service and stability

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

THE ENTIRE staff of Huron National Bank includes, front right to left, president Erik Nadolsky, vice president Rose Fryske, assistant vice president Vicki Kieliszewski, Megan Bauer, Amy Henry, Patricia Taratuta, Lisa Ciarkowski, Ann Szczerowski, Kathy Paull, back, Holly Ravezzani, Michelle Krueger, Diane Delekta, Karen Spens and Gail Soik. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

Tuesday marked the 35th anniversary of the opening of Huron National Bank (HNB) in Rogers City. There were prize giveaways to enter that will be drawn the 21st and cake to enjoy and commemorate the occasion.

The bank opened its doors on May 12, 1980 to provide services that the only other bank in Rogers City was not providing.

According to bank president Erik Nadolsky, HNB has been locally owned and operated since its inception.

“Over the past 35 years, we have continued to strive to fulfill financial needs with products and services competitively priced and delivered with exceptional service,” stated Nadolsky in a letter to shareholders dated Feb. 27. Nadolsky, who has been an employee since 2003, took over as the fourth president when Dale Bauer retired in 2012.

“Our board members are all local people,” said Nadolsky, but the success, has been accomplished with the support of shareholders, board, “great employees and customers. We have stayed true to our original mission.”

HNB opened during a time when “Presque Isle County was under banked,” said Nadolsky. “Meaning there were not enough banks to serve the people.”

At the time, there was only one bank in Rogers City, whose headquarters were in another Midwest state. “It was hard for business people in the community to get credit,” said Nadolsky.

There were 20 people that started HNB, including Erv Nowak, Marv Beatty, Art Getzinger, Leon Delekta, Don Hampton, Lynwood Lamb, Eugene McLean and Louis Dehring.

“All of our loans are made, approved and closed by local people, and the debt stays right here,” said Nadolsky. “We don’t sell it so you are making your mortgage payments to Atlantic City, or some other place.”

The annual shareholder’s meeting wa

s conducted April 29. HNB earned $684,946 or $2.99 per share in 2014, according to the annual report. This represents a five percent increase in earnings from the prior year.

Additionally, HNB increased its annual dividends by more than 7.5 percent from $1.30 per share to $1.40 per share. Last year’s deposits grew more than three percent.

“When all the other banks were losing, we were making it and moving forward,” said Nadolsky. “When other banks were merging, we did not. It’s not easy, and certainly is not easy with just 14 people. Every small business has had to maintain more with less.

(Complete version of this story appears in the May 14, 2015 edition of the Advance)