Company's 401(k) Plan.
01 June 2011
“That’s the job I want.”
Mark Lund had only been working as a management trainee at a community bank in Marin County for three months when he uttered those words. As he sat in on the bank’s shareholder’s meeting, listening to the president speak about the bank’s relationship with the community, he settled on his career goal―running a top-notch community bank! Now, after a lengthy career in the banking industry, he’s achieved his dream, serving as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Community 1st Bank, which he established in 2006.
Community 1st Bank serves residents of Placer, Nevada, Sacramento, Solano and Butte Counties, helping both individuals and small businesses. Though the bank is relatively young, it’s seen significant success in spite―or perhaps because―of the difficult economic climate that has recently battered so many other financial institutions. When other banks both large and small ran into trouble over the past few years, Community 1st Bank was able to step into the void that was created.
“In this economy we have grown and done well,” says Lund. “I believe that Community 1st Bank has become the preferred community bank in the markets that we serve … we’ve picked up a lot of business from banks that have failed or been acquired or simply can’t service their customers.”
With three locations and 38 employees, Community 1st Bank today offers an array of banking services to all types of clients. While the primary focus was initially on small businesses―“Small business in America is the engine of job growth,” observes Lund―Community 1st has branched out to include more consumer banking services, such as mortgage lending. Today, the institution’s business is about evenly split between small business and consumer clients.
Running a thriving financial institution consumes much of Lund’s time, but he still manages to stay active in a variety of community organizations in the Auburn area, where he and his wife Debbie have lived and worked since 1977. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Auburn, as well as on the organization’s Resource Development Committee. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors for the Roseville Community Development Corporation, a member of the Auburn Elks Club, and the Auburn Masonic Lodge. Debbie―who worked in jail administration for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department until she retired a few years ago―is also an active volunteer in the Auburn community. She is the past-president of the Sacramento Valley Guild Association and the Sutter Auburn Faith Guild.
The Lunds―who were high school sweethearts and have been married for more than 40 years―also love heading to their cabin in Tahoe and partaking in a variety of outdoor activities, from skiing, snowshoeing and hiking, to fishing, boating and hunting. They also enjoy spending time with their three adult children, and seven grandchildren.