Stories

Before the new year brings a new harvest of stories, here’s a roundup of five memorable pieces from the year that’s ending

Regular readers of the Company Blog – i.e. our bosses and (maybe) our parents – know that 2023 was a big year for us. We published more than 100 stories covering everything from unique employees to special business clients to community partnerships and more.

Of course, we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We’re moving into 2024 with a strong pipeline of news to come and you can be assured we’ll keep posting the best and most timely pieces we can.

But enough about that. You saw the headline above and you know why we’re here, so let’s get to it. While we’re in that all-too-brief period when there (probably) won’t be any new stories to share, we’re going to do something we don’t think anyone, anywhere has ever done before: round up our favorite pieces from the year. Here they are, in no particular order.

A beep baseball player. We had heard of beep baseball, a game designed for people who are visually impaired, but didn’t know much about it until we talked to Tracey Jackson, a U.S. Bank employee who played in the beep baseball world series this year. Jackson’s passion for the competition and camaraderie the game brings is inspiring, and we think you’ll enjoy reading about him. 

A family wealth coach. U.S. Bank has about 77,000 employees, including some who do jobs that might surprise you. Take Thomas Thiegs, whose job is helping wealthy families navigate the sometimes-drama-riddled waters as they transfer wealth and businesses to the next generation. Thiegs has a background in psychology, a doctorate degree in organizational leadership and deep expertise in the dynamics of shared decision making. In our story on him, Thiegs shares some of his secrets to success, along with his three tips on rules to follow when talking about money with close family.

A Habitat for Humanity homeowner looks back. We’ve seen (and published) plenty of stories about people moving into homes built by Habitat for Humanity, but this one does something new in revisiting a family five years after they moved into such a home. Hearing about how owning the house has changed the lives of Ambera Pruitt and her family, and the fun details like the lines on the basement wall marking the children’s changes in height, gave us new perspectives on the Habitat program. 

An Orange County household name. When U.S. Bank completed its purchase of MUFG Union Bank late last year, one of the small business clients that moved over from Union Bank is Tanaka Farms, a family-owned farm and produce market that is well-known in Orange County, California, especially among the area’s Japanese American community. Kenny Tanaka, the fourth generation of Tanaka’s to run the business, told us about how Tanaka Farms has evolved from a roadside stand to an agritourism destination that hosts hay rides, holiday light shows, a petting zoo and more. 

A onetime rocket scientist. Before joining U.S. Bank as an engineer, Adam Sanders worked for NASA, which this year recognized Sanders with its Commercial Invention of the Year award for a wearable robotic technology called Robo-Glove that Sanders helped build during his tenure at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. In the story, Sanders talks about his time at NASA and how his experience there helps him in his role with the bank.