Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Bengtson.
Hi Tom, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
A writer needs good material to share with readers, and I try to keep my eyes and ears open to the things around me, with the idea that some of my observations will be worth sharing. When I was in college, I was interested in sports and wrote about athletes and their competitions for the University of Minnesota student newspaper. Later, I started writing about business for a niche trade magazine that covers the community banking industry. Subjects relevant to faith and family became more interesting to me as I matured and I found outlets for those subjects, including a monthly publication I helped to start in 1994 called The Catholic Servant.
Most recently, I have written a book: “Unity Map: Cartography of a Father’s Homework” (available wherever books are sold online). It’s a memoir that shares a vocational journey raising four children, ultimately involving the start-up of two high schools, and challenging our parenting in ways my wife and I never expected.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Much of my writing reflects my entrepreneurial nature, which got a start in high school where I published my own student newspaper. There were other entrepreneurial ventures along the way, like the launching of a painting business in college, starting a variety of consumer and business publications, and founding a publishing company with a business partner in 1992. I continue to own and operate NFR Communications, which specializes in print and digital media. We also publish several annual and semi-annual reference books, plus we produce membership magazines for trade associations.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about NFR Communications, Inc. & the BHCA?
NFR Communications also manages a unique professional group called the Bank Holding Company Association. Members are people who run community-based financial institutions in towns like Ceylon, Minn.; Jamestown, N.D.; Yankton, S.D., and Spirit Lake, Iowa, in addition to urban areas such as the Twin Cities, Des Moines and Omaha. Many of these institutions help small business owners, farmers and other entrepreneurs, who are the lifeblood of many communities. The BHCA hosts educational seminars to help our members keep up with the numerous issues impacting credit allocation – things like evolving payment options, the role of technology in finance, and the best way to keep vulnerable customers safe from potential frauds and scams.
NFR Communications has employees who work in two markets: Kansas City and Minneapolis. A modest company, we operate on four principles: Connection, which means bringing people together; Entrepreneurship, which is about our willingness to meet the needs of our markets; Integrity, which is so important in journalism these days, and Recognition, which is about honoring staff and industry professionals who go above and beyond expectations. Every year, one of our magazines invites readers to nominate outstanding bankers who deserve recognition, and we select a few to profile. In three decades we have honored more than 200 people.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Ultimately, I like to write about people and help them share their stories. Everyone has a story, and I am honored to help people find their personal narrative thread in the context of today’s world, with all its challenges and opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: BankNews.com & TomBengtson.com
- Other: https://NFRcom.com
