Question 1

What is Mid-America Bank?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank is a locally-owned community bank headquartered in Baldwin City, Kansas, specializing in real estate lending. With approximately $525 million in assets, the bank operates seven branches across eastern Kansas, serving the Lawrence metropolitan area and surrounding communities.

Founded by Dave Hill and a group of Kansas investors, the bank has established itself as the leading real estate lender in Douglas County for over a decade. Mid-America Bank distinguishes itself through local underwriting, local loan servicing, and maintaining ongoing customer relationships by retaining servicing rights on loans rather than selling them on the secondary market.

Question 2

When was Mid-America Bank founded?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank was founded in 1997 when Dave Hill and a group of Kansas investors purchased Esbon State Bank, a small central Kansas bank located near the geographic center of the United States. Hill, who had spent 13 years in banking before starting a mortgage company called Hilco Mortgage in 1995, identified a need for more responsive construction lending in the area.

The original purchase involved a bank with $8 million in assets for $800,000. The bank was renamed Mid-America Bank to reflect its location in the middle of America, paying homage to Esbon's proximity to the geographic center of the country. The bank relocated its headquarters from Esbon to Baldwin City in 2001, where it has remained ever since.

Question 3

Where is Mid-America Bank headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank is headquartered in Baldwin City, Kansas, located in Douglas County. The bank moved to Baldwin City in 2001 from its original location in Esbon, Kansas. Baldwin City has deep roots for founder Dave Hill, whose family has a long history in the community dating back to 1895 when his great-grandparents first moved to the area.

Question 4

Where does Mid-America Bank operate?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank operates seven branches across eastern Kansas, serving communities in Douglas, Johnson, and Franklin counties. The bank's locations include Baldwin City (headquarters), Wellsville, Lawrence, Gardner, Eudora, Palco, and Norton.

The bank maintains a particularly strong presence in the Lawrence, Kansas metropolitan area, where it has been the number one real estate lender in Douglas County for over ten consecutive years. The Wellsville branch, opened in 2012 after purchasing it from Patriot's Bank, has grown from $3 million to $45 million in assets. The bank serves both urban and rural communities throughout the region.

Question 5

What services does Mid-America Bank offer?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank offers comprehensive banking services with a primary focus on real estate lending. The bank provides residential mortgages, construction loans, commercial real estate financing, and home equity products. With local underwriting and servicing, the bank processes approximately 1,000-1,400 real estate loans annually and currently services over $410 million in mortgage loans.

Deposit services include personal and business checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit with competitive rates. The bank emphasizes maintaining strong deposit relationships to fund local lending operations.

Digital banking services feature robust online and mobile banking platforms with bill pay powered by CheckFree, mobile deposit capabilities, external account transfers, person-to-person payments through Zelle, biometric login using fingerprint or face recognition, account alerts, and e-statements with up to two years of history. The mobile app allows customers to manage accounts, transfer funds, make loan payments, and deposit checks remotely.

Business banking offerings include tailored checking accounts based on transaction volume, commercial lending, cash management services, and treasury management solutions. The bank also provides traditional services such as safe deposit boxes, wire transfers, cashier's checks, and notary services.

Question 6

What makes Mid-America Bank unique?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank's most distinctive characteristic is its commitment to retaining loan servicing rights. Unlike many community banks that sell loans on the secondary market, Mid-America Bank keeps and services the mortgages it originates, maintaining long-term relationships with borrowers throughout the life of their loans. This approach requires dedicated staffing with twelve employees processing loans and six servicing them.

The bank's community reinvestment philosophy is fundamental to its operations. Founder Dave Hill emphasizes that "you can't have a great bank without a great community," driving the bank's philanthropic partnerships and local investment focus. Deposits are reinvested back into the communities they serve through local lending.

As a family-owned and operated institution, Mid-America Bank has maintained its independence since 1997. Two of founder Dave Hill's three children work in the banking business, providing a clear succession plan. The bank treats all employees as part of the family, creating a culture focused on personal relationships with customers.

The bank's business philosophy centers on the "Four P's": Product, Price, Process, and People. This framework ensures quality products at competitive prices delivered through customer-friendly processes that emphasize both employee satisfaction and customer service excellence.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Mid-America Bank?

Accepted Answer

Mid-America Bank is a state-chartered commercial bank regulated by the FDIC and the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner. The bank operates as a community bank, meaning it is locally owned, locally managed, and focuses on serving the specific communities where it operates rather than pursuing national expansion.

As a commercial bank, Mid-America Bank can accept deposits and make loans, distinguishing it from specialized financial institutions. However, its business model leans heavily toward community banking principles with an emphasis on relationship banking, local decision-making, and community reinvestment. The bank's specialization in real estate lending while maintaining full-service retail and commercial banking capabilities makes it a hybrid between a traditional community bank and a specialized mortgage lender.

Question 8

How has Mid-America Bank grown since its founding?

Accepted Answer

Since purchasing an $8 million asset bank in 1997 for $800,000, Mid-America Bank has experienced substantial growth. As of the most recent data, the bank holds approximately $525 million in assets and $407 million in deposits. The bank has grown from seven employees in 1997 to over 58 employees currently.

The bank's expansion from a single location in Esbon to seven branches across eastern Kansas demonstrates its geographic growth strategy. Key milestones include relocating headquarters to Baldwin City (2001), acquiring the Wellsville branch from Patriot's Bank (2012), and expanding into Norton, Palco, Eudora, Lawrence, and Gardner. The bank manages over $735 million in combined assets when including both bank assets and mortgage servicing portfolios.

The capital position has grown from the initial $800,000 investment to approximately $37 million, reflecting the bank's financial strength and profitability. With a return on assets (ROA) of 1.60% and return on equity (ROE) of 15.88%, the bank demonstrates strong financial performance relative to industry benchmarks.

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