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Welcome to Heartland Bank

Our history is embedded in the stories of many families. After all, we've been here as family farms and businesses have passed from one generation to another. We have seen the comings and goings of everything from horse-drawn wagons and Model T's to modern-day SUVs. At Heartland Bank, our community involvement goes beyond the dollars and cents of banking. It's a testament to our commitment to the people – to our communities, our families, and all their dreams. It demonstrates we care about the economic, cultural and social development of the communities we serve.

Honoring Our Roots

We founded Heartland Bank, formerly known as Geneva State Bank, on March 27, 1899. Our legacy began on the second floor of the Fraternity Temple in Geneva, NE, which is the very site where Heartland Bank's main office is currently located. The new bank prospered, operations ran smoothly, and relationships were formed.

That is, until the fall of 1904.

In the early morning hours of October 24, 1904, the entire building burned to the ground. The fire certainly could have been the end of our story. Instead, it became a remarkable demonstration of the young institution's intelligent and committed management.

While the building was still burning, hours before daylight, they were knocking on doors throughout town trying to secure another location. The following day, Geneva State Bank opened for business at the regular hour in a temporary location. Two years later, a new bank building was erected.

A Family-Owned, Community Bank

Like many of our customers, we are a family-owned business. The current owner's, the Wilkins family, first association with Geneva State Bank came in 1908 when Earl H. Wilkins served as bookkeeper. After 25 years, in 1933, Earl became the president of the bank for almost 40 years. Hugh F. Wilkins accepted a position at the bank in 1948 and succeeded his father as president. Hugh's son, Hugh C. (Cam) Wilkins, was elected as president in 1986 and held the position until his passing in 2009. At that time, John C. Wilkins assumed the role of President and CEO which he still holds today.

 

Over a Century of Growth

As our customers grew and expanded, so did we. Heartland Bank has grown from a single location in Geneva to a network of branch locations across Central Nebraska. As we continue to grow, know this, wherever we go, our commitment remains the same. We build relationships. We deliver personal service. And, we want to help you, your family and your community, grow.

How We Grew

Several key acquisitions and branch openings over the past two decades have led to steady growth.

  • August 1998: The Investment Center officially opened its doors in the historic Brown Building adjacent to the central bank in Geneva. The Investment Center is a service of Raymond James Financial, Inc., and is a full-service brokerage program offering a complete range of financial products and services to all of our branch customers.
  • May 1999: A Loan Production Office of Geneva State Bank opened in Kearney, Nebraska.
  • June 2001: Shickley State Bank was purchased and merged with Geneva State Bank.
  • August 2001: Geneva State Bank purchased Grafton State Bank. With the acquisition of Grafton State Bank, NorthPointe Insurance was added to the services provided by the Geneva State Bank. NorthPointe Insurance is currently located next door to the bank in Geneva.
  • October 2002: Grafton State Bank merged with Geneva State Bank. Geneva State Bank's Kearney Loan Production Office officially opened as a full-service branch.
  • January 2003: Geneva State Bank added a farm management and real estate broker service.
  • April 2008: A full service branch of Geneva State Bank was opened in Hastings.
  • October 2010: The Farmers State Bank in Fairmont was purchased and merged into Geneva State Bank.
  • January 2011: Geneva State Bank purchased Richard Pilakowski's Raymond James Investment Center in Kearney and moved his offices into the Kearney branch.
  • October 2013: The remodel of the headquarters of Geneva State Bank was completed on October 7th, 2013. The remodel included improvements to four buildings, demolition of the former Ashby Building, and two new additions with four different construction phases. The bank's working area increased from 12,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet. A new drive-thru with wider lanes was constructed on the north side of the building.
  • November 2013: A Loan Production Office of Geneva State Bank was opened in Burwell, Nebraska.
  • January 2014: The Holding Company for Geneva State Bank purchased the State Bank of Riverdale. The two banks ran as separate organizations until the end of February 2014.
  • March 2014: Geneva State Bank and the State Bank of Riverdale merged operations and changed the name of the organization to Heartland Bank. Our name reflects the relationships and values shared by families, businesses, and ag operations throughout the Midwest. The two banks each brought over 100 years of experience serving the financial needs of Central Nebraska. Although the names Geneva State Bank and State Bank of Riverdale are no longer used, the tradition, culture, banking philosophies, and community focus that made both organizations great banks continues with Heartland Bank.
  • October 2014: A Loan Production Office of Heartland Bank opened in Aurora, Nebraska.
 
  • March 2015: On March 31st, 2015, associates, senior management, and board members from Heartland Bank formally broke ground on the construction site of the new Hastings branch.
  • June 2015: The Heartland Bank Loan Production Office in Burwell, Nebraska opened its doors as a new full-service branch on June 1st, 2015. The Burwell team moved from their temporary LPO location to a brand new branch on the southeast corner of Burwell.
  • March 2016: An 8,000 square foot permanent branch building was completed in Hastings. The branch was designed and built with a focus on the customer experience. From the extensive use of glass and open lighting to the beautiful community room, this branch was built to improve and facilitate the partnership between our customers and associates.
  • October 2018: The Heartland Bank Loan Production Office in Aurora, Nebraska opened its doors as a new full-service branch. 
  • January 2019: Heartland Bank purchased First National Bank of Fairbury and Jefferson County Bank of Daykin, adding four new facilities and full-service branches in Fairbury and Daykin.
  • January 2019: NorthPointe Insurance company in Geneva was purchased by Heartland Bank.
  • September 2019: A full service branch of Heartland Bank opened in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Vision & Values

  • Our Vision: To be a growing organization providing leadership that improves the lives of customers, associates and communities.
  • Our Values: Caring, Family, Leadership, Integrity, Professional and Excellence