Pub. 13 2016 Issue 1

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S 22 BANK NEWS Lucero has been a board member of the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico (HBACNM) since 2002 and a member of the Executive Committee for eight years. She has received several honors from her local association including: Associate Rising Star, Associate of the Year, President’s Award and inductee into the Associate Hall of Fame. On the state level, Lucero has been a board member of the New Mexico Home Builders Association since 2009 and is also a past chair of the Finance Committee and Appraisal Task Force. She has received the Las Casitas Construction Lending Professional of the Year and Jer- ry Hattox Distinguished Service Award (Associate of the Year).  WestStar Names Merhege VP, Commercial Lending WestStar Bank of El Paso, TX, has announced the recent addition of Kevin Merhege as vice president of commercial lending in Las Cruces. A native of Las Cruces, Merhege has several years of banking experience with local institutions, including Citizens Bank of Las Cruces. Merhege attended New Mexico State University (NMSU) College of Business where he received a BBA degree in management. Additionally, he takes an active role in the community and is a member of the NMSU Aggie Athlet- ic Club, the NMSU Men’s Basketball 6th Man Club Steer- ing Committee, and a NMSU College of Business Advisory Council member. In Memoriam- Dale Ball Dale Ball, owner and president of Bank of Santa Fe from 1981 to 1987, passed away on February 14, 2016 at the age of 91. Ball was active in the securities and banking business for 38 years, was a civic leader and a lifelong lover of the arts. In 1992, he founded the Santa Fe Conservation Trust, a land trust that has continued to protect land and create and maintain trails in northern New Mexico. He also created a trail system in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, something he envisioned during his land trust work. He completed this 22+ mile trail system in 2004 at the age of 80 and leaves the Dale Ball Trails as his legacy to all the hikers and bicyclists who continue to enjoy them.  Irene Deubel, owner of a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been the driving force be- hind delicious doughnuts for decades. She began her Dunkin’ Donuts career in 1972, prepping the pastries after they came out of the oven. But when she took over the baking, she knew she had found her sweet spot. “That was definitely me,” she said. “Back then, it was all hand-cutting. Now it’s automated. I just loved cutting doughnuts. I worked next to a big window, and people would watch me. It was fun.” She worked her way up, becoming assistant manager, then man- ager. In 2005, she bought the popular store at 1085 St. Francis Drive, which sells about 300 dozen doughnuts daily. It is open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year and closed only on Christmas Day. Except in 2014, the location, with 21 employees closed for a week. “Every 10 years, you’re remodeling your store,” Ms. Deubel said. “We totally gutted the building. Now she’s beautiful.” The renovation, financed by a loan fromCentury Bank, was fund- ed by an Economic Development Program (EDP) advance from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLBDallas). In addition, Ms. Deubel also qualified for an accompanying $24,630 EDPPlus grant from FHLB Dallas. Ms. Deubel said the grant was very helpful “because when you’re shut down for a week there are a lot of expenses. We used it for supplies, new machines, and a new oven.” The renovation also in- cluded a new hood system over the oven, new couches, barstools, TVs, a stainless-steel bar, coffeemakers, and a new roof. Noncompetitive EDPPlus grants are awarded in conjunctionwith EDP advances through FHLB Dallas members, like Century Bank. The grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis to pro- mote and enhance small business development and job creation. The Dunkin’ Donuts renovation created four new jobs. “The EDPPlus grants are tremendously effective in building our relationships with customers,” said Century Bank Vice President David Valdez. “We are able to provide them with capital that can be sorely needed in today’s economic environment. Century Bank is proud to be able to help our customers and, in turn, our commu- nities.” As of September 15, 2015, FHLB Dallas provided $973,987 in grants through 25 member institutions for 49 economic develop- ment projects. The remainder of the $1 million for EDPPlus grants has been committed. Check the EDPPlus page under Community on fhlb.com for details. Requirements of the EDPPlus grant program led Ms. Deubel to the Santa Fe Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where she received help in polishing her business plan and putting togeth- er financial projections.  Deborah Collins, a certified business advisor and marketing coordinator at the Santa Fe SBDC, said the area’seconomystillstruggles.“Anunexpectedcapital infusionreallymakesadifferenceforsmallbusiness owners,” she said. “The EDPPlus grant is one of the best economic development tools I have seen in a long time. We are grateful to FHLB Dallas for their generous support of this need.” Profits Rise for One Dunkin’ Donuts Franchise with Help of Small Business Grant BY DEBORAH COLLINS, SANTA FE SMALL BUSINESS, DEVELOPMENT CENTER