Transforming Sales Culture and Mindset at First Dakota National Bank
Overview
First Dakota National Bank was established in 1872, becoming the first fully-chartered bank in the Dakota Territory. Headquartered in Yankton, South Dakota, the bank steadily grew alongside the community—serving settlers, river trade, and thriving local businesses. Today, First Dakota operates a network of 16 full-service branches and 6 loan production offices, with assets exceeding USD $1 billion. The bank offers a comprehensive range of banking, investment, and trust services. One of their cornerstone values, “Integrity to do the right thing and do things right,” made their partnership with Integrity Solutions a natural fit.
Challenges
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Managing rapid organisational growth and regional expansion
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Preserving a strong legacy and deeply rooted company culture
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Aligning training with company values and a customer-first philosophy
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Enhancing team confidence in cross-selling and shifting attitudes toward sales
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Creating consistency in customer experience across departments and roles
Programmes and Participants
In support of First Dakota’s commitment to exceed customer expectations, every employee has completed at least one of the following Integrity Solutions programmes:
| Programme | Participants |
|---|---|
| Integrity Service® | Teams in Accounting, Compliance, Audit, Loan Accounting, Operations, Administration, Credit Review, Lending Support, Maintenance, and other back-office functions |
| Integrity Selling® for Service Professionals | Front-line staff including Tellers, Personal Bankers, Customer Service Representatives, Lending Assistants |
| Integrity Selling® | Agri-Business Lenders, Commercial Bankers, Trust Officers, Brokerage, Marketing and Executive Leaders |
| Integrity Coaching® | Supervisors and Senior Leaders |
To ensure long-term success and deep cultural integration, First Dakota implemented a range of sustainment and reinforcement initiatives, including:
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Performance Accelerators: Structured reinforcement modules linked directly to core programme content
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CRM Integration: Core Integrity tools and concepts embedded within their CRM for a consistent customer experience
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Advanced Leadership Training: Equipping Branch Managers with a unified coaching approach to drive accountability and behavioural change
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Behaviour Styles® Assessments: Personalised reports used for team development and one-on-one coaching
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Q Mindshare: A digital reinforcement platform designed to enhance learning retention and ongoing engagement
Impact
Since introducing Integrity Solutions training, First Dakota has achieved strong growth across all core business areas. Their investment in people and values-led development has delivered measurable results:
KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS (within two years of programme launch):
| Metric | Assets (MM) | Loan Volume (MM) | Deposit Volume | Households | Services per Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Growth | +22% | +26% | +22% | +7% | +11% |
“The numbers speak for themselves. Across every key metric—assets, loans, deposits, household growth and services per household—we’ve seen a consistent upward trend.”
— Rob Stephenson, President & Chief Operating Officer
Employee Feedback
Integrity and values are deeply embedded in First Dakota’s leadership philosophy—and employees echo this sentiment. Feedback from training participants highlighted the positive cultural shift:
“Knowing that we’re genuinely focused on doing what’s best for the customer makes sales feel authentic. It’s not about promoting a product of the month—it’s about offering real solutions that meet individual needs.”
“Before the training, I’d quietly dread seeing certain customers. I’d smile outwardly but struggle to connect. Integrity Selling® helped me understand behavioural styles and adapt. Now I genuinely enjoy helping even the most demanding personalities—I approach every customer with confidence and understanding.”
“Trust is the foundation of banking. Our customers entrust us with their finances, and they expect us to be honest, accurate and reliable. Integrity’s training helps ensure that we meet and exceed that expectation.”
Client Feedback
“Integrity’s programmes are the most practical and transformative sales and service training I’ve experienced. Implementation is straightforward, and the personal and professional changes are profound. We couldn’t be happier.”
— Shelly Eilers, Vice President eBanking & Cash Management, First Dakota National Bank
“Watching the transformation at programme graduation was the most rewarding part. Hearing team members share how they’d grown confirmed just how powerful the experience had been.”
— Deb Weddingfeld, Senior Vice President, First Dakota National Bank
“We chose Integrity Selling® because it reflects who we are as an organisation.”
— Nate Franzen, President, Agri-Business Division, First Dakota National Bank