Faces of Seneca, 2019
Courtesy | Show Me
People’s Bank of Seneca is a small town community bank with a big heart.
Vice President Skylar Wallace learned firsthand how important community love and support is within the bank and the surrounding community when his young son was diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumor, a type of kidney cancer.
“Not only was the bank supportive of me having to be gone frequently for chemo treatment in Kansas City, the entire community pulled together to show support to my family,” he said. “That’s what Seneca is all about and that’s what being a small town local bank is all about – being there for each other.”
Wallace pointed out that, like any form of shopping local, banking locally is a great way to put money and support back into your community. He has experience working for Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank in Kansas City, so he has seen the impact a local bank has on a community versus a national bank.
“The thing that people don’t realize about banking is that the rates, the products, they’re generally the same. The difference is what happens to the profits those banks make, and what we do is support the community directly – because it’s the only community we have.”
People’s Bank of Seneca has volunteered and donated to the Seneca school district for years. Recently expanding to three locations in Joplin and one in Loma Linda, it is now giving back those area schools as well.
Wallace has been with People’s Bank of Seneca since 2013. He started off in lending then moved into merchant services and marketing. Today, as vice president, he works alongside The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma which is the majority shareholder of the bank. In fact, the tribe’s chief, Glenna Wallace, is his grandmother.
That’s why Wallace is so passionate about what he does – the community is in his blood.
“I came back to Seneca for three reasons: family, to be part of making Seneca a great community, and to have a direct impact financially within the community through the bank,” he said.
In his free time, Wallace enjoys spending time with his family and coaching youth football and basketball.
And his son? He’s 18 months in remission and enjoying First Grade!
1615 Cherokee Avenue, Seneca 417.776.2111 www.peoplesbankofseneca.com