Chances are if you’ve ever called First Federal you’ve heard her friendly voice saying, “First Federal, thank you for holding!” Ms. Margie Dedge has been First Federal’s ‘Director of First Impressions’ for 29 years and despite her tenure her she knows this is exactly where she needs to be. “Without a doubt, I have known and still know this is what I should be doing,” Ms. Margie affirms. Anyone who’s talked with her on the phone probably agrees.
Kathy Baird remembers a non-customer who was calling from Seattle about a relatives account. “When I answered the phone he said, ‘before I get to what I called you about, I just want to take a minute to tell you how wonderful the lady is who answers your phone. She made me feel like she had known me all her life. She is just priceless!’” Kathy still remembers how it took Ms. Margie just a few moments to make that gentleman feel like the most important person on the planet.
Rosina Gray remembers coming to interview at First Federal at our main office. “The building itself was so intimidating that I started to second guess myself and whether I would fit in around here. So, I opened that large door, walked into the lobby and immediately found myself in awe as I gazed at this beautiful staircase and chandelier while my self-doubt doubled. Then… Ms. Margie. She welcomed me in and spoke to me as if I was meant to be here. She immediately put me at ease and just spoke like regular folk. I noticed her title was Director of First Impressions and thought to myself, ‘If this is the first impression this bank wants to portray, then I will absolutely fit in and rock this place just like Ms. Margie.’”
Ms. Margie’s service doesn’t stop when she leaves the bank. She gives time and money to the March of Dimes, the local Pregnancy Crisis Center, Haven Hospice, and the CARC.
Only twice in her career has she considered a change. Years ago, there as a new position that had been created and Ms. Margie was thinking about applying. But as she thought about how little she would interact with customers, she paused. She knew she couldn’t give up that part of her job and never finished the application.
The second time was more recently as the bank began to seriously grow. Ms. Margie wasn’t sure she could keep up and provide her customers with the level of care she’d become accustom to. It took our President, Keith Leibfried, stopping by her desk and assuring her that she could do it. Years later, she’s never looked back.
“I’m just so thankful to Keith for providing me with the opportunity to work for First Federal all those years ago!” says Ms. Margie. As much as she loves working, we love her being a part of our team even more!
