Business loans are often made in New York or Ohio, but Horizon Bank does it right here in La Porte so they can adapt them to the needs of the community. It’s all part of being a local business made up of local employees.
Horizon Bank Mortgage Loan Officer Charlie Roberts is not just another face behind a desk, he is a living breathing part of the community of La Porte County.
“[La Porte] County is where our heart is,” said Charlie. “Our people set us apart. We have great leaders at the top, people who love their jobs, and local people making local decisions.”
He was in town to attend a business expo as a representative for the bank but his job often takes him on the road. As AVP of Indirect Lending he would travel from Indianapolis to East Lansing, MI and everywhere in between to negotiate contracts with Car Dealerships. His new position as Loan Officer lets him be home more often with his wife, kids, and the city he loves.
“Being on the road a lot didn’t allow me to get involved with the community like I used to be. So I took the role of Loan Officer so that I could be planted in the community again.”
Throughout his career at Horizon Bank, Charlie has been involved in several fundraisers, item drives, and youth summits. Their employees are constantly raising money for the United Way of La Porte County. They run a quarterly food and supply drive for various affiliations, including the Salvation Army, various women’s shelters, and Toys for Tots.
Charlie is also on the Porter County United Way Golf Committee. “I’ve always been a supporter of United Way,” he said. “They do so much for the community.”
The Lubeznik Arts Festival is another organization Charlie feels is doing a lot for the community. He is on their committee, helping to plan the kickoff event, “Avant.”
“It brings culture to our community,” said Charlie. “That’s a big piece of life. It’s beginning to be a staple here in Michigan City so I think it’s important to showcase our local artists.” He studied graphic arts for 6 years so he has an added interest in the art district. His love for helping people brought him out from behind his desk and into the world of customer service.
Charlie’s greatest passion is for helping young professionals. He believes that the town- the whole region, really- needs to pay more attention to it’s youth. Identifying them at as early an age as possible is key to developing our next generation of leaders. Charlie believes in the power of mentors, and getting young adults and teenagers involved in business and community.
“There’s a lot of experiences you don’t get until you get involved,” said Charlie. “The earlier you can get them connected to a mentor, the less you run into generational gaps. This is how you make change.”
Charlie has been involved in a few mentorship programs and even started his own, called the NWI Leaders. He was not seeing many people in their 20s at business events. He saw the value in exposing new entrepreneurs to the system and beliefs of their elders.
NWI Leaders was founded in 2010 and is still going strong. Being a mentor is something Charlie sees himself doing for a long time. It lets him directly help people.
Charlie is still recovering all his philanthropic endeavors after his position change within Horizon Bank. Managing dealership relations took away the free time he had dedicated to helping others. Now he is slowly building back up.
The upcoming project he is most excited about is his performance at the YMCA’s Dancing Like the Stars annual competition. Craig Dwight, CEO of Horizon Bank, invited him to dance in the competition. Charlie was eager to help out.
Between business deals and loan negotiations is a real man with his feet firmly planted in his community. The same community we live in. Horizon Bank does not hire employees, it hires neighbors.