Piano-playing VP provides music to North Dakota bank's ears

Northwestern Financial Review, Nov 18, 2000 by Olmsted, Monte

The sounds emanating from the baby grand piano inside this Jamestown, N.D., bank lobby have occasionally welcomed customers at Security State Bank of North Dakota. "What a nice touch," say some, who wonder the identity of the pianist. Is it Van Cliburn? Glenn Gould? Liberace? Or Lorie Line?

Wrong on each count because the person whose fingers tickle the ivories on those beautiful classical and contemporary pieces belong to none other than North Dakota banker Del Mari Runck.

As the vice president of operations, Runck knows that she's a banker first, but allows for the occasional musical interlude - sometimes, reluctantly.

"They encourage me to play the piano, but when I have a million things to do..." said Runck, who spends most of her days in the Hannaford-based bank's Jamestown office.

She's always on the go for the $162 million institution as Runck travels among the bank's locations, leading a number of projects that have included Y2K preparedness to a current focus on Internet banking.

No wonder she has little time to play the piano.

Her expertise has benefited other endeavors such as the planning and organization of the bank's Jamestown branch, opened five years ago. During a few strategic planning sessions in early 1994, the bank's leaders saw interest margins shrinking and knew that continued success would occur only if the bank opened in a larger market. Up until then, Security State had relied on small towns such as Hannaford and Wimbledon, places with fewer than 300 people.

The sixth largest North Dakota city, Jamestown, with nearly 16,000 people, was selected as a ripe banking market. And Runck was instrumental in hiring and training the Jamestown branch employees, ordering furniture and equipment, and getting a mainframe computer system ready.

"All the details need to be in place when you have to open a branch. You have to be getting employees ready to open the doors on day one, and they have to know everything about policies and procedures," Runck said.

John Brown, president of the bank's holding company, knows just how dependable Runck has been for the third-generation bank.

"She's someone you always count on. If I really wanted something done, I'll ask her. It's a rare commodity in banking anymore to have people who understand the whole process of banking. She's one of those," Brown said.

The 39-year-old Runck's ties to the institution began in 1982 when she worked at Farmers & Merchants Bank in Wimbledon, one of two institutions owned by the Brown family. Prior to getting hired, Runck was pursuing a social work degree at a nearby college, and farming with husband Kim.

A call from the Browns altered Runck's plans as they offered her a teller/bookkeeper position. She accepted and switched her college major to business. Over time, Runck's responsibilities grew as her knowledge of banking grew.

"The Browns have given me lots of opportunities," said Runck, who grew up in nearby Courtenay, a small town 38 miles north of Jamestown. "When the bank grew and grew, I chose to focus on operations. I enjoy the challenges, because it's more rewarding to work on the project level."

By 1991, the Wimbledon bank was merged with Security State Bank, and the Brown family also purchased The First State Bank of New Rockford. Today, the bank has eight locations, but only one piano.

Since she spends most of her time working at the bank, Runck, the mother of two, reserves at least an hour a day to play the piano at home. Her love of music also extends to playing the violin, but she prefers the piano, having performed for church services and weddings.

Although she took piano lessons as a child, Runck, usually plays tunes by ear. All she has to do is listen to a song to be able to play favorites from composers such as Beethoven and Chopin.

Among Runck's contemporary favorites is Lorie Line, a Minneapolis-area pianist known for her soothing sounds and a gift for marketing. Line began performing in Dayton's department stores and is now selling out concert halls across the country. Runck has seen Line perform eight times, and joked that she someday wishes to follow Line's footsteps.

"My goal in life is to retire and play at Dayton's," Runck said with a smile.