Meet Ashton at Midwest Bank. Ashton worked part-time for Midwest Bank in high school and college for four years. She has now been with Midwest Bank full-time for the past five years and is currently a Vice-President/Loan Officer at our Norfolk Main branch. Ashton grew up in Pierce, Nebraska, went to Pierce High School, and then graduated from Wayne State College.
In high school and college, Ashton worked as a bank teller for Midwest Bank. During college, she did an internship with the FDIC, which turned into a full-time job following college graduation. Ashton worked for the FDIC for two years before returning to Midwest Bank as a lender.
In her current role, Ashton helps her clients with financing, whether it’s for a personal loan or something for a business. She explains, “I enjoy getting to be a problem-solver for my clients. I like helping them answer questions or find solutions. Overall, I really enjoy getting to be a partner with my clients in their endeavors.” It’s that partnership and focus on relationships that sets us apart.
We asked Ashton what the best part of working at Midwest Bank was, and she said, “The people. I value all of the clients I get to work with, and I really enjoy my coworkers; they’ve become like family.” And for Ashton, family and Midwest Bank go hand-in-hand. We asked Ashton whom she’d choose for a mentor, and she explained, “I, fortunately, get to work with my dad, I consider him my mentor. However, there are many times I find myself wishing I could ask my Grandpa Johnson questions about banking.” Ashton’s dad, Doug Johnson, is the current Midwest Bank President & CEO. And her grandpa, Don Johnson, was the President & CEO before him.
One of the best reasons for choosing a community bank is the free financial education we provide you. You can have your checking accounts and loans anywhere these days. But a community bank means there is someone willing to sit with you and answer your questions about your specific financial needs. There are plenty of programs, online classes, and influencers that people can pay to learn similar information that your community bank will help you with for free. There is a need for financial literacy in our country and I hope to always be a resource for people that want to equip themselves with that knowledge.”
When she’s not working, Ashton enjoys spending time with her husband, her high school sweetheart, Trent, and their daughter. They also have two dogs, Buck and Bella, that keep them busy. Something not everyone knows about Ashton: she likes to crochet baby blankets, and her guilty pleasure is reality television. Hand down, her favorite concert was this year’s Taylor Swift Eras Tour, which she attended with her three sisters and mom. And when it comes to traveling, Colorado has a special place in her heart. She has great childhood memories from visiting, and now that’s where she loves to escape to, and maybe one day that’s where she’ll retire.
Finally, we asked Ashton about her favorite memory from working here. She replied, “Recently I had the most fun putting together our Reality Check program at Norfolk Public High School. We assigned 80 kids to a job, salary, etc., and then had 20 volunteers from the bank and community represent life expenses like insurance, childcare, car payments, etc. The kids had to navigate their way to all the booths and see if they could make their paycheck work for them. We had a blast, and it was hilarious listening to the students’ shocked reactions at how expensive life can be. Everyone learned something that day and I can’t wait to do it again.”
At Midwest Bank, it’s not just about transactions. It’s about relationships, community, and making a difference. Ashton is a great example of all these things.