Young State of the Union Guests Underscore Benefits of Tax Relief in Indiana
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced that he has invited two Hoosiers to be his guests for the President’s State of the Union address next Tuesday, January 30, in Washington, D.C. Chelsee Hatfield from Windfall, Indiana and Gene Miles from Greentown, Indiana will attend the State of the Union as guests of Senator Young on behalf of First Farmers Bank & Trust to demonstrate the benefits of tax reform in Indiana.
First Farmers Bank & Trust is a community bank based in Converse, Indiana that has served the agriculture community for more than 130 years and provides loans to small, rural businesses and family farms. Following the Senate’s passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, First Farmers Bank & Trust announced they are raising wages and giving bonuses to employees, and investing $250,000 per year in community development and $150,000 per year on employee development.
About Senator Young’s Guests:
- Chelsee Hatfield has been a bank teller at a First Farmers Bank & Trust branch in Tipton, Indiana for just over three years, and is receiving a salary increase and bonus as a result of tax reform. She is a young mother of three who resides in Windfall, Indiana. Chelsea is currently taking courses online to earn an associate’s degree and this additional income will help pay for the costs of her schooling and allow her to put money toward her children’s college expenses. She is the mother of a seven-year-old, and twin three-year-old children. This will be her first time visiting Washington, D.C.
- Gene Miles is the President and CEO of First Farmers Bank & Trust. He resides in Greentown, Indiana. He was raised on a corn, soybean, and livestock farm in Central Indiana, and learned the unique needs of agriculture clients by spending time in his family’s grain purchasing operation. He is a graduate of Purdue University and has raised three children with his wife Cheryl.
What they are saying:
Senator Todd Young: “We delivered several major successes to the American people last year, including tax relief for hard-working Hoosiers and small businesses. The actions taken by First Farmers Bank & Trust to invest in their employees and give back to their community are perfect examples of tax reform already benefitting our state. I was proud to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to allow people like Chelsee to keep more of their hard-earned money, and I look forward to hosting Chelsee and Gene in Washington for the State of the Union.”
Chelsee Hatfield, First Farmers Bank & Trust employee: “I am just thrilled for the opportunity to come to the nation’s capital for the first time and experience the State of the Union address. This is a fantastic opportunity for myself and our bank. We’re not a very large bank and to be invited by Senator Young and given the opportunity to tell our story is very special. I am proud to be a part of that and represent where I work and my home. I am currently taking university courses online and pursuing my associate’s degree. This raise and bonus will certainly be helpful in those expenses along with preparing for my kids college savings. These steps taken as a result of tax reform are specifically affecting me and small communities like my hometown of Windfall.”
Gene Miles, First Farmers Bank & Trust President and CEO: “We’ve always felt that the key to the success of the bank was through having employees of good character who believe in community banking and are personally invested in their hometown communities. This program reemphasizes our commitment to them. It’s only natural that we would take this opportunity reinvest in the people that have made us successful.”
“We feel strongly that community banking can continue to be successful in smaller towns. We’re proud that we can take the lead in sponsoring and supporting community projects like a YMCA or Youth Education and Athletics. That’s civic responsibility and it absolutely is inherent in our mission. Charitable outreach like the Million Meals program which supports local foodbanks and homeless shelters AND educational assistance programs that assist low to moderate income families are both examples of how we can all work together to support each other and people in need.”
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