November 16, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

A familiar face joins Longview Bank

Sara Bryan has always had a passion for helping people.

That passion was instilled in her by her father who worked for Primerica which provides insurance, investment, and financial services to middle-income families in the United States and Canada.

“I grew up in a family with a financial background,” Bryan said. “My father was a representative with Primerica and enjoyed helping people plan their futures.”

Bryan, who now works as a universal banker at the St. Joseph Longview Bank, said the best thing about her job is helping people.

“I enjoy helping people,” she said. “Whether it’s through an issue they don’t understand or have any control over, or if it’s helping them save and plan for their futures.”

Bryan said she learned how important financial services can be for families by watching her father help so many people.

“I watched my dad help people get out of debt and change their futures,” she said. “I remember the members of our church coming to him and showing their appreciation. That’s the level of service I strive to live up to.”

Bryan started at Longview earlier this fall after working at another bank in the St. Joseph community for many years.

“What I like best about the St. Joseph Community is the hometown feel,” she said. “You can walk into any store or business and you are guaranteed to see a friend or family member of a friend. St Joseph is a town where people go the extra mile and are willing to lend a hand.”

Bryan said she was happy to join the team at Longview because it is truly a community bank where the customers are like family and not just numbers on a report.

“I have the privilege to sit down with my customers and get to know them better,” she said.

Bryan said a lot of her customers she knows and built a relationship with at her previous employer.

“ I am proud to say those customers have become friends and I now get to continue those relationships through Longview,” she said.

Bryan hopes to learn more about Longview, grow its customer base, and continue being the banker where customers become friends.

“I thoroughly enjoy the St Joseph Community and the great people that make it the community it is,” she said.   “I chose to stay here because of the people. I look forward to serving my current clients, watching their little ones grow up, start their own families, and helping them as well.”
 

in Life, People
Banner
Related Posts

Bree Trimble Working Out With Siblings and Father

July 7, 2020

July 7, 2020

Like all athletes, Bree Trimble plans on coming back to the Parkland College Cobra women’s basketball team as a bigger,...

Senior spotlight… Luke Cohen

October 22, 2019

October 22, 2019

Every week we ask a senior five questions. This week we talked to Luke Cohen. What do you want to...

Always Looking to Give Back: Short honored for volunteerism

June 7, 2022

June 7, 2022

Tim Short wants to inspire the younger generations. Short, who was honored with the SJO Friend of Education Award this...

Van Buskirk reflects on successful expo

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019

Dawn Van Buskirk loves the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. Van Buskirk has been involved with the marathon since it started...

5 things you don’t know about me… Aubree Vilven

August 8, 2019

August 8, 2019

Aubree is in the running for the title of Little Princess! She is six years old. We asked her to...

Senior Spotlight… Ally Monk

January 29, 2020

January 29, 2020

What are your plans after you graduate from St. Joseph-Ogden? After graduation, I plan on attending the University of Missouri...

Comfort Quilters honor veterans

August 8, 2019

August 8, 2019

In June, 14 veterans were awarded comfort quilts. Two more could be awarded tonight at the St. Joseph Festival by...

10 things about me….. Dana Rowland

April 3, 2019

April 3, 2019

You may know Dana Rowland as the co-chair of the SJO Post Prom Cash Bash but now you can get...

10 things you don’t know about me … Matt Walsh

September 30, 2022

September 30, 2022

Matt Walsh with Engaging Entertainment is will be DJing at the Wagner Signs and Graphics Anniversary Celebration. We asked Matt...

‘Julie has been the backbone of this village for a long time’

December 28, 2021

December 28, 2021

Julie Hendrickson loves St. Joseph. And a piece of the small town’s footprint will soon step away from a long-time...

Senior Spotlight… Jillian Plotner

January 23, 2020

January 23, 2020

What are your plans after you leave SJO?I plan on studying forensic anthropology. I haven’t decided what school yet! If...

‘We lost a great young man’

October 22, 2024

October 22, 2024

When Corey Thompsen was in high school at St. Joseph-Ogden, he and his fellow cross-country runners would race across the...

Talk of the Town with Susan McKinney

July 2, 2019

July 2, 2019

Every week we ask a village official three questions. This week we talked to St. Joseph Township Librarian Susan McKinney...

Kids Say…. What do you think a farmer does?

December 23, 2019

December 23, 2019

We ask students to tell us what they think a farmer does each day. Here are their answers. What do...

Learning lessons: Hilton gives back through teaching and village trustee role

May 10, 2019

May 10, 2019

Timbra Hilton moved back to Royal in 2016. She and her husband, Paul, both grew up the small town and...

Comments
Leave a Reply