Meg Waddell

You can’t talk about First Federal Savings Bank without talking about its founder, Richard E. Belcher. Around Rochester, many locals simply refer to First Federal as “Dick’s Bank”. It takes vision to start a financial institution in the back room of a neighborhood grocery store, but that was how Dick Belcher introduced First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Fulton County to Rochester, Indiana. On Jan. 3, 1966, he and one other employee greeted their very first customer ten minutes after the door opened. First Federal was founded to fulfill a public need. Providing quality customer service has been First Federal’s focus from the beginning. “It has been said that to survive as a small community bank today, one must have a niche in the market,” Dick said. “Mortgage banking is and has been the niche that has worked well for us.” Customers could expect personalized service from the start. Dick often refers to the staff as the “First Federal Family”, and the relaxed working atmosphere is behind First Federal’s success. “Our staff through the years has helped make First Federal the fine bank it is today,” Dick said. “Our mission statement says it very well: First Federal’s mission is to serve our customers with the newest, competitively priced products delivered to them with state-of-the-art technology; to provide to all First Federal Family members a favorable working environment with reasonable compensation and benefits; and to treat all customers and First Federal Family members in the manner that all would like to be treated.” “We don’t want to be the biggest bank,” he said, “just the best.”