Lee Ann Krisell: ‘Eventually, the Student Becomes the Teacher’

In 1977, Lee Ann Krisell found herself moving back home to the city of Stuttgart and the family farm in the Grand Prairie, and to begin this next stage in her life she began searching for a career. One of the first places that came to her mind was Farmers & Merchants Bank. She walked in the very familiar doors and was immediately greeted by the smiling faces she had known her entire life. Shortly after this encounter, she was hired as the bank’s switchboard operator and receptionist. From being a child sitting on the teller’s counter, she now was behind a desk in the same building.

Krisell has dedicated her entire career to the pursuit of knowledge and the art of sharing it with others. It was this lifelong learning approach that has been the key to her advancement with the bank. She joined as the receptionist and, with an unwavering commitment to her community and the bank, she climbed the ranks to her current position as a retail operations officer.

Krisell is much more than a seasoned employee; she embodies our community’s values. Her deep-rooted connection to the area is intertwined with her steadfast work ethic. While she excels at her day-to-day responsibilities, her true passion lies in learning and teaching. She has devoted herself to becoming a knowledgeable resource for customers and employees, always ready to share insights and advice.

“I want you to have all the knowledge that I can give you.”

It is this sense of togetherness that Krisell cites as one of the main reasons she has stayed with Farmers and Merchants Bank for more than four decades. She loves her customers.

“You establish a rapport and trust that you never want to break. You always want to do the best job for that person that you possibly can.”

This love is something she prides herself in passing on to her employees and teammates as well.

“We don’t sell anything that the bank down the street doesn’t sell, except for exceptional customer service.”

Krisell has seen the banking industry evolve and grow in her time at Farmers and Merchants Bank. She sees the future and the need for adaptability. From witnessing the first ATM to the online banking formats of today, she has seen and learned it all.

Krisell’s impact extends well beyond the bank’s walls. She is an active supporter of many community functions from fundraisers to festivals. She knows the importance of people, and she is there to support them however she can.

“We always try to be involved in every community that we’re in.”
Through every step of her career, Lee Ann Krisell has been a student. She has actively sought information to become a better employee and thus take care of her customers to the best of her ability. As she has grown in her career, she felt it only right to impart this treasure of knowledge to her co-workers so they might also provide excellent service and advance as well.

“That’s what we all should be doing when we leave … everything should be a little better off for our time spent there.”