Banking On The Community

When she was 19 years old, Georgia Miller moved to the Platte Valley. It was a new home for her, but a homecoming for her husband, Cody.

When she was 21, nearly 22, she began working as a full-time teller for what is now RNB State Bank. That was in 1997. Now, 27 years later, Georgia has been named Saratoga Market President. It’s just the newest position of many which she has held in her nearly three decades with the bank.

For eight years, Georgie worked as a teller—even being promoted to head teller—and familiarized herself with other departments such as new accounts. Eventually, she worked as a loan assistant before moving into consumer lending, a position which came with training from former RNB State Bank vice president Dan Runner.

“Dan Runner trained me as far as small auto loans,” said Miller. “For a while, I didn’t have any lending authority. He approved everything [and] I just wrote everything up, then started doing a little bit of mortgage lending, a little bit of ag lending and smaller commercial credits.”

While she has spent nearly all of her adult life in the Platte Valley—where she raised her two children, Brent and Bailey Miller—Georgia grew up in rural South Dakota.

“[When] I went to kindergarten, I had to ride three buses to get to school,” said Georgia. “Then, 1st through 8th grade was a rural school and then I had to go to high school in Martin. It was a 15-mile drive.”

Eventually, she attended Eastern Wyoming Community College where she met Cody. The two married and moved to the Valley, which she has called home longer than her home state of South Dakota. In her time living in the area, Georgia has involved herself in various community organizations and boards. She currently serves on the Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) Board of Trustee, a seat she has held for seven years.

She has helped organize and run horse shows for both the Saratoga and Encampment/Riverside Lions Clubs and put on gymkhanas—a day event of horse races and other competitions—when her children were younger.

“Most of my stuff is rodeo based, like stuff with the Carbon County Fair and the [Woodchoppers] Jamboree Rodeo. I help [Saratoga] BullFest every year as a timer,” said Georgia. “Anything kid related, if they need help with something I’m usually willing to jump in and help do that. I feel the youth are our future and I want to help them succeed as much as possible.”

According to Georgia, that desire to help children didn’t just motivate her to serve on the CCSD2 Board of Trustees, but likely inspired her own children to become teachers. Bailey recently returned to Encampment K-12 School to teach 5th grade while Brett—and his wife, Kaycee—teach at Little Snake River Valley school.

“I think it’s amazing. It’s kind of crazy to think that my daughter-in-law and both my kids are teachers, but it’s a passion that they have. It’s a passion that I’ve always had. As much as we can help our kids grow, it’s very important and it’s obviously an important thing to my family,” said Georgia. “I think my passion filtered down onto them. They think a lot of their students and a lot of the kids in their communities and do whatever they can to help them succeed.”

Just like how her children want to help their students succeed, Georgia wants to help her customers at RNB State Bank succeed.

“I think most of my customers that I have now would probably agree with the statement that I view them all as important factors of our community and I will do whatever I can to help them accomplish their goals,” said Georgia. “I value our customers. We don’t exist without our customers, they’re the most important part of the bank.”

As she steps into this new position as Saratoga Market President, the history and longevity of RNB State Bank—which has locations in Rawlins, Hanna, Saratoga and Colorado—is not lost on Georgia. Neither is the combined experience which the staff of the bank brings with them.

“It shows our customers that we’re a sound and solid bank and they should be able to trust us. We have been here for a long time, we have a lot of employees that have been with the bank for five to 30 years,” said Georgia. “Everyone is proud of the fact that the bank is solid. We value our customers and our communities.”

This year, RNB State Bank marked 125 years of continuous business in Carbon County. According to Georgia, while the names have changed, she believes much of what makes RNB State Bank a long-lasting business has remained the same.

“It’s amazing to think that the bank has been here [for 125 years]. The name has changed a few times. It was Rawlins State Bank and then it changed to Rawlins National Bank and in 2019 we changed to RNB State Bank. So, we went back to a state charter,” said Georgia. “Still the same bank, the Board of Directors are the same, still have the same policies and procedures. It just allows a little bit more local control being a state bank rather than mandated by the OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency).”

As for the title of Saratoga Market President, Georgia said she hopes it won’t make her customers think she’ll treat them any differently than she had before.

“I’m still the same person and I'm still willing to answer any of their questions, no matter how small they might think they are. I still answer the phone and make phone transfers,” said Georgia. “I understand things are probably going to get a little busier for me, but I’m always going to give them the time that they need.”

Moving into this new position, Georgia does so with the confidence of RNB State Bank leadership.

“We are thrilled that Georgia elected to accept the position of Market President in Saratoga. She possesses the character, qualities and values that we look for in a leader in our organization,” said CEO Mark Sheeley. “She has been with the bank for 27 years, has lived in the Saratoga area for all of her adult life and is excited for the opportunity to further the bank’s commitment to provide exceptional customer service to our clients and the community.”

According to Georgia, that ability to step into a leadership role was only possible by putting in the time she did at the Saratoga branch of the bank.

“This is the only bank I’ve ever worked in, but working as a teller all the way through, it gives you a balance and makes you understand the whole process,” said Georgia. “I feel like it gives me a pretty well-rounded view of how the bank works.”