Union Bank & Trust Company is a privately owned bank that offers complete banking, lending, investment, and trust services. Jim Meyer is Vice President—Mortgage Loans for Union Bank & Trust in Lincoln.
Tell us a little about your business. – Union Bank is a local family owned bank with over 15 locations in Lincoln as well as many other communities throughout Nebraska including Omaha and Kansas City. Union Bank is a full service bank with a well-established and highly competitive home mortgage division. I am an officer in the home loan area with over 25 years of experience in residential lending. We’re excited that Union Bank will soon be servicing our mortgage loans, which will give our customers the opportunity to make payments in branches and get any questions answered right here in Lincoln.
How did you get started in lending? – I started my career in Ag lending and after a few years moved to home loans, lending in rural areas throughout the Midwest. During my 15-plus years with Union Bank, I’ve been helping families finance homes in Nebraska with a primary emphasis in the Lincoln area.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – When I began my career just out of college, I took a job with a regional finance company. Within 30 days the company announced it was having financial problems and was up for sale. The company was eventually sold and I continued to work there a few years until I took a Loan Officer position with Farm Credit. Within one year the Ag economy went south and many family farmers were struggling to survive. I began working to help farmers restructure their operations and debt loads so they could continue farming. Most recently the housing market began struggling but in the past two to three years has begun a strong rebound. Each of these challenges – and the ensuing rebounds – has provided me with great experiences in all facets of lending. Just as the agricultural economy has rebounded and recently had its best years in history, the housing market has drastically improved. Right now with interest rates close to historical lows and home prices having bottomed and beginning to rise, now is an excellent time to purchase or refinance a home.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – I consider two areas to be most important. The first was helping farm families stay in business by helping them restructure their operations and overall debt load. Most recently it was finding the right home loan program for each family during the recent housing market downturn. I have really enjoyed taking on these challenging situations and working with my clients to find positive solutions.
Tell me a little about your family. – I am married with two children. My wife works at another bank in the construction area. My daughter is also in banking and my son is employed by the City of Lincoln in the Building and Safety Department. It seems my entire family is somehow involved in the housing area!
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – During the winter I enjoy college football, hockey, and basketball. The rest of the year I spend most weekends on a small farm my brother and I have near Beatrice. Climbing on a tractor or into a combine is a great way to get out of the office and enjoy the fresh air and get some much needed exercise.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Call (402) 323-1517, email jim.meyer@ubt.com, or visit www.ubt.com/meyer.