Five-timer credits success to the basics

摘要

You can't leave a voicemail for Sid Ridlehuber, president and CEO of Charter Bank. But any member of the staff who picks up will be happy to take a message, and he'll return it promptly.When you ask the veteran Texas banker if the refusal to adopt voicemail has anything to do with the bank's performance-it has placed in the top ten of its category in our rankings for five years in a row-he affirms it.Indeed, Ridlehuber believes that sticking to much of what he considers classic community banking-where bankers bank, directors direct, and technology doesn't replace human ability-continues to be the key ingredient in his bank's success. He still maintains an open door to customers, right on the banking floor of headquarters, in a time when many bank presidents are disappearing upstairs.