First Northern Bank’s Louise Walker Retires as President/CEO, Jeremiah Smith Assumes The Helm With $50 Billion Additional Assets from Acquisition of Two Banks
First Northern Bank’s Louise Walker Retires as President/CEO, Jeremiah Smith Assumes The Helm With $50 Billion Additional Assets from Acquisition of Two Banks
By Ben Edokpayi, Staff Writer ©
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On January 1 an impressive career at First Northern Bank, a financial institution which has served Dixonites for decades ended when President/CEO, Louise Walker,retired to chart a new course. Her humble start at the bank which caters to many establishments and agricultural enterprises and trucking companies in the area, was as an 18 year old teller at the Davis, Yolo Branch.
She served meritoriously for 43 years at a bank with branches as far East as Auburn and far west as Walnut Creek.
“She successfully worked her way up the ranks, by essentially performing most positions at the Bank, with her final job as our President & CEO for the past 12 years,” said First Northern Spokeswoman Rashelle Snead in a media release.
Louise’s successor will be Jeremiah Smith who joined First Northern Bank 19 years ago and served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the past 12 years.
Jeremiah took over the reins of the bank on January 1, 2023.
“She’s been a great mentor and I was fortunate to work with her,” said Jeremiah in an interview with this Reporter.
The bank was formed in 1910 by a group of local farmers and merchants. It has grown exponentially with a niche that focuses on small businesses, family owned businesses and the Hispanic community.
With a recent approval from the FDIC for the acquisition of Columbia and Umpqua Bank Jeremiah foresees an infusion of $50 Billion into its Capital base. With the acquisition First Northern Bank’s customers base will now extend to branches in Orland, Willows and Colusa.
On his collaboration with his predecessor Jeremiah Scott was effusive on how kind Louise Walker was with her time.
During her career, Louise held a variety of positions, which included head of Operations and Data Processing, as well as overseeing Human Resources, Risk Management, Compliance, Accounting, and Finance. Prior to assuming the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, Louise held the position of Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for 14 years.
Louise is the Treasurer of the American Bankers Association Board of Directors, past Chairwoman and a member of the Board of Directors of the California Bankers Association (now the California state and federal advocacy division of the Western Bankers Association), a board member of Pacific Coast Bankers Bank, a member of the Executive Committee of Valley Vision Board of Directors, a member of the Yolo Food Bank Board of Directors, a board member of Roseville Community Development Corporation, a member of Dixon Rotary, and past president of Soroptimist International of Dixon.
Louise has served as board member and treasurer of Lambda Alpha International, Sacramento Chapter. Louise’s extensive service as a board member of both private and public organizations has provided her with extensive knowledge and experience in the banking industry, financial management, risk management, corporate governance, and marketing.
Louise is a member of the Bank’s Asset/Liability, Asset Quality, Loan, Information Services Steering, and Profit-Sharing Committees.
Louise, who will remain on First Northern Bank’s Board of Directors, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management from Saint Mary’s College of California.
That will be a steady hand and mentor that Jeremiah will certainly need in an economy predicted to face strong headwinds with fluctuation in interest rates and a war that has affected supply chains.
On how the bank plans to weather unforeseen economic problems Jeremiah said it’s all about the people who you surround yourself with. “We are in a good spot. It’s about who you do business with and we have got a great clientele who believe and trust us,” said Jeremiah who acknowledged the local Hispanic community as an additional asset for the bank. He especially was thrilled by the announcement on Wednesday that President Joe Biden will visit the Southern border. That is certainly good news for our Hispanic clientele, said Jeremiah Smith.
