Giving back to community

By Matt Bewley | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, February 3, 2007

Dave Schneeberger has been living and working in Otter Tail County for most of his life, and recognizes the value of small town life.

“Living here has provided us an opportunity to grow,” he said of himself and his family, “and now it’s our turn to help out - to give back.”

He was born at Lake Region Hospital into a farming family, just outside of Wendell.

In school, he considered himself a wrestler, first and foremost, but also played basketball and football, ran track and sang in the school choir. He graduated from what was then the Elbow Lake-Wendell High School in 1977, and went on to North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo.

A member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, he kept busy with the Agricultural Economics Club and the Board of Student Publications, for which he occasionally contributed articles on NDSU sporting events.

In 1978, he began dating Norcross native Shawn Prothero, his future wife, and on Friday, May 30, 1981, he took a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and business. The following Monday, he started at First National Bank of Fergus Falls (now Bank of the West) as an agricultural loan officer.

“I mostly dealt with farm customers, of course,” he said, “helping them with operations, farm machinery and real estate purchases. I also dealt with some consumer loans.”

In May, Shawn and Dave married. Their first child, daughter Krisanna, was born in 1984 and son Eric followed in 1986.

In 1987, the First National Bank of Fergus Falls acquired the Elbow Lake Bank. Schneeberger assisted with the transition process and was named vice president and branch manager of the new branch that same year.

In 1991, son Matthew joined the Schneeberger family, and both First National branches joined with Community First National Banks. David became the president of the Elbow Lake branch, and after a 10-month stay as the president of a bank in Caledonia, returned to Otter Tail County, now in Fergus Falls, as president of both Community First National banks.

In December of 2004, the banks were acquired by Bank of the West.

“The change has given us the ability to offer more products and services, and have access to higher lending authorities,” he said.

Though Schneeberger’s title has been changed to “Market President,” he still performs the same duties as he did under his former title.

He enjoys reading John Sanford, Michael Connelly and James Patterson, whose book, “Cross,” he is currently reading. He prefers action and comedy movies, and occasional forays into backyard landscaping.

He is busy with his son’s activities at Fergus high, and is a member of the Fergus Falls Sertoma Club, the Rotary and two boards of the Pioneer Retirement community.

This Fergus Falls banker believes in giving back to his community.

“I want to help make our future better than our past,” he said.

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