Man oh man, I ruffled some feathers a couple of weeks ago with my column on the absence of an economic development plan for Lompoc. I did not intentionally set out to do this, but anytime you start asking the hard questions or making some blunt observations, you are going to stir some folks up.

However, it is way past due for people to start asking these questions of our leaders. How many empty storefronts or new taxes are we going to need before we realize that things are not hunky-dory in our

valley?

But this week, I am going to go back to the peace-and-love theme of the column and spotlight an individual and business that has and will continue to make a contribution to Lompoc.

A couple of years ago, I sat down to chat with Ray Down, president of Lompoc Community Bank. At that time, the bank was in the Longs Shopping Center and was going to build a new building. Well, it is built. It was designed by Ravatt Albrecht and Associates and the architecture is one of openness and for a lack of a better term, flow. You walk into the bank and the vibes feel just right.

The only thing that has changed from my initial conversation with Ray is the existence of the new building. Everything else has remained the same.

What Ray said was going to be the focus of the bank has remained constant. This bank was designed with one thing in mind: customer service. The positioning from the beginning was to provide the best customer service in town and it has proven successful.

As Ray was showing me around, I got a glance of some type of certificate on the wall that showed how much the stock of the bank has grown since the beginning. I am a certified financial planner and I know a little bit about growth rates, and whoever invested in this bank is no doubt a happy camper.

How did this happen? The answer: by remaining focused on customer service. We have a number of banks in town and it is not as if people and businesses are flocking to Lompoc and opening up new accounts. These accounts had to come from the other banks and believe me, they came. The key to the bank is its people. These folks such as Ray, Dean Minor, Andra Campbell, Lynne Hyland and the others all live here and have been involved members of the community.

Lynne is very involved in the Lompoc Girls Softball Association. Dean is on the Hospital Foundation board and participates in the Toys for Tots Campaign. Andra is a Chamber of Commerce ambassador and involved in a number of other causes. As mentioned in my last column, Ray has made his contribution to this community since 1970; there is a reason his portrait is on the mural at the hospital.

Customer service is not simply stating that you stress customer service, but being structured to deliver on your promise. Ray is kind of like President Bush in one respect; the buck stops with him. This bank is headquartered at his desk, not in Santa Barbara or overseas, but at 705 West Central Ave. When you talk to him, you are talking to the final decision maker; he does not have to check with anybody.

No cookie cutter approach here, as Ray will take your specific needs and situation into account.

So the bank offers customers local service, involved people and a direct link to the final decision maker.

The other factor that is key in the bank/s success is that it has an advisory board of citizens who live here. I know a number of these people, and they are all involved in the community.

This board is important, because it keeps the bank connected to Lompoc and its needs. No matter how big the bank becomes, it will always remain connected to its roots of customer service; the advisory board will ensure this.

Current members of the board are Cheryl Bedford, Harlan Bratz, Brent Hazen, Al Walker, Bob Campbell, Alice Milligan, John Silva, John Lizarraga Jr., Greg Campbell, Bob Coe and Fred Bittle. You know these people and know that they care about this community.

So if you want local decisions, local folks and a local bank invested in this community, give Ray and the Lompoc Community Bank a call. See you next time.

Benjamin Hernandez a certified financial planner practitioner and can be reached at 736-6037.

October 2, 2007