Exhibit 99.1
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/8-K/0001193125-20-281804/g86386g1028131926435.jpg)
October 30, 2020
Dear Fellow Shareholders,
“Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win.” — Max McKeown, Adaptability: The Art of Winning in an Age of Uncertainty
The above quote perfectly captures the attitude and intention of your Company, its Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team and valued associates. The ongoing pandemic requires individuals, families and organizations to adapt the best they can to innumerable changes to the way we live, work, travel, transact business and much more.
At your Company, doing the best we can means that adapting will not result in a lesser version of the Bank and business we are meant to be. Instead, it means adapting so that we can continue to win in the marketplace, provide customers with better products and legendary service – and build shareholder value.
I am pleased to share with you in my 3rd Quarter 2020 letter examples of how we continue to adapt and move your bank forward, as well as numbers indicative of strong financial performances detailed in the attached earnings report.
First Lab Branch Opened / ITM at Farmers Main Campus
With an on-going strategic commitment to advancing banking technology, we had a proud moment in the third quarter as Farmers opened our first Lab Branch prototype on July 13, 2020. The Lab Branch, located 1.4 miles down the street from Farmers Headquarters, features all of the bank’s emerging technology and customer service initiatives in one convenient location for customers.
The Lab Branch is led by Branch Manager Ricardo Cruz and a team of Universal Bankers who assist customers with more advanced banking needs while demonstrating/encouraging the use of the Interactive Teller Machines (ITM) for more simplistic transactions. The new branch features a team of Video Tellers who can virtually assist customers with their banking needs via one of our high-tech ITMs located in the Lab Branch lobby, vestibule and two drive-thru lanes. The branch also includes a large video wall to highlight branding in a very visual way.
I call this a proud moment because two years ago we challenged the leadership of Farmers to dream about the “branch of the future” and that objective lead to the creation of the Lab Branch. The team took the bank branch concept and completely reimagined it with a focus on digital innovations and customer experience. During this process, we eliminated the traditional teller line and replaced it with digital options. The result is a one-of-a-kind banking experience that our customers have swiftly adopted and embraced.