About us

Colette said, “On September 23, 1997, I found my home at Macatawa Bank. When I joined, the application had been filed with the regulators, but the approval had not yet been received. I was tasked with getting all the systems up and running. We opened two months later, in November 1997, in a storefront office at 51 Main Street in Zeeland. In February, 1998, the bank's parent, Macatawa Bank Corporation was formed and we had the initial public offering of our stock in April 1998. There have been many other milestones between then and now for the bank and for me personally. During this time, I was able to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration from Davenport University.”

She added, “It has been fascinating to see all the changes that have occurred over the last 24 years, and many friends have been made along the way. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of it all!"

Beyond banking, Colette grew up on a small dairy farm in Michigan's thumb. Her parents instilled in her a strong work ethic which she shares with us every day. She has a long career in banking which started at Huron County Bank in Harbor Beach, Michigan in 1978.Colette and her husband of over 40 years spend time together bike riding and have enjoyed many of the Rails-to-Trails that Michigan has to offer. She also enjoys baking, canning, needlepoint, plays piano and more recently, as a newer grandparent, is learning the art of making baby quilts!

Judy was born and raised in South Haven, Michigan. Shortly after high school graduation she got her first taste of banking when she started working at First Michigan Bank (FMB) while getting her degree in business at Davenport College. She and her husband were setup on a blind date by one of Judy’s FMB co-workers, his Aunt, and have been married now for 23 years. She came to work at Macatawa Bank in 1998, shortly after the bank was established.

Judy said, “I've made many wonderful memories and friendships at Macatawa Bank – I'm grateful for all the opportunities I've had to learn and grow here over the years.” She added, “I want to give a shout out to our bank leadership for choosing to be a participant in the SBA Paycheck Protection Program, and for making it a priority to assist our small business customers and our surrounding communities during the pandemic.”

Some fun facts about Judy: She is an only child, her husband is an only child and they have an only child. The Meyaards enjoy having a small, cozy family. Their son is a music major at the University of Michigan where he studies bass trombone performance. Judy is now a fan of all things Michigan – Go Blue! Judy rings hand bells in a church choir, and she and her husband enjoy traveling to watch their son's band and drum corps' performances. Judy loves cooking and eating out, and when they travel you can always find them at the best local BBQ joint (St. Louis is a favorite!).

Ba can typically be found at his desk quietly working. Many of our employees may not even know who he is, but most of the bank's technical infrastructure would not be what it is today without him. He has provided input and led many projects that our team members use on a daily basis. Out of necessity, Ba became a system expert on one of our new system integrations, to the point that the vendor now refers their customers to him for advice on how they should integrate their system.

Ba has lived in West Michigan since elementary school. He and his wife have been married for 7 years, and have a 4 year old boy, and a set of 2 year old fraternal (boy/girl) twins.

“You might be surprised to know that I really enjoy cooking and baking,” said Ba. “Prior to having kids, my wife and I used to bake elaborate birthday cakes for friend and family birthdays. When our kids get a little older we hope to pick that back up for their birthdays.”

Dan took on a mentor role and eventually this young man was able to get a job and obtain more independence for himself. The customer stated, "Not only did Dan go above and beyond to help my son, he changed the dynamic of our family for the positive."

When the Allendale Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Janessa Smit discussed Dan's nomination with others in the community, she heard additional stories about Dan sharing his financial expertise to help others, so the decision to direct the award to Dan was an easy one.

"As a community bank, we talk all the time about how important life events are to our customers," said Jill Walcott, Macatawa Bank's Chief Retail Officer. "We are in a unique position sometimes to really make a difference for our customers" Walcott continued. "When we can take ownership of those moments, we have the opportunity to alleviate anxiety from our customers' finances, and their lives, by providing sound advice and guidance."

Congratulations Dan Brown for receiving this award. Macatawa Bank thanks you for living out our values and principles every day. You really are making an impact.

Since 1989, GROW has provided services focused on current and aspiring business owners at various stages of business ownership. The entrepreneurial resources and services provided include entrepreneurial training, business counseling, and networking opportunities. GROW is one of only 110 certified Women’s Business Centers in the nation, and one of three in the State of Michigan, all in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

Robin has volunteered at GROW for many years. In 2018, Robin was the recipient of the LeAnne Moss Service Award for her volunteer service to GROW clients

Her volunteer efforts as a Business Mentor have led to additional involvement within the organization including the facilitation of courses. Robin explains that her involvement with GROW continues to be very rewarding. “West Michigan is such an amazing place to live and work. It is truly a community that embraces creativity and through that, we celebrate and encourage entrepreneurship. I love working with business owners to make a positive impact in our community and local economy.”

You can learn more about GROW by visiting their website:www.growbusiness.org

“I’m a true testament that you don’t have to be Dutch to be part of Tulip Time,” said Delgado, who works as our Retail Operations Consultant. Striving to ensure the entire community gets to participate in Tulip Time is a fitting task for Delgado, given the bank’s emphasis on community service. We have been recognized each year since 2011 as one of “West Michigan’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” due in part to our guiding principle: We believe our responsibility is to support our community with our time, talents and resources. That principle enables Delgado and hundreds of other Macatawa Bank employees to participate in community events and causes that are important to them. For example, Delgado has been active with Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) as a translator, volunteer coordinator and youth mentor, in addition to her work with Tulip Time. The bank is proud to support Ada’s servant’s heart. “During my 14 years with Macatawa Bank I have not only had the opportunity to serve, but I have received the encouragement and support to get involved and be a part of what I believe in,” Delgado said. “I feel at home working for an organization that truly believes in giving back to the community and in letting our employees volunteer their time and talents for local organizations that matter to them.”

With our local management team making decisions, Schmidt is empowered to look beyond the numbers and develop more personal relationships with his customers.

“When you work with smaller, family-owned businesses, you become a much more valuable resource to them,” said Schmidt, one of our commercial relationship managers. “You become part of their team that helps plan their business. You get to know their kids and their spouse. They think of you as one of their key advisors. It’s a much more fulfilling occupation when you know you’re helping someone achieve their goals.” The opportunity to work alongside West Michigan businesses only comes along if the community itself is thriving and successful, so it makes sense that make supporting the community a big priority through events such as Recycle Days, and so many other ways that our employees volunteer their time.

Another of our guiding principles states that we believe West Michigan is the best place to live and work. Schmidt believes that, and he’s doing his part to make sure it rings true for as many people as possible. “In West Michigan, we understand the importance of being a good neighbor,” said Schmidt, who also serves on the board of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. “We recognize that we’re all connected, and that the health of our businesses, our families and our community all depend on us caring for and helping each other.”

They offer safe shelter, transitional housing, crisis intervention, supportive counseling, SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), sexual assault therapy, legal advocacy, Wardrobe for Work, support groups, community outreach, and healthy relationships programs including Girls on the Run. Annually, more than 3,000 women and their families receive services and assistance. Julie Hower has volunteered at CWIT for many years. She has been a member of the Finance Committee since 2005, has worked on the Reach for the Stars committee, and has volunteered at Girls on the Run event.  Julie Hower said, “My introduction to the Center for Women in Transition occurred many years ago when I volunteered as a participant on a United Way Allocation Panel. What I heard in that presentation changed the way I thought about domestic violence. I heard a statistic about children that really struck me: When you grow up in a home with domestic violence you are more likely to commit a violent crime against someone else. That statement is something I had never thought about before and have never forgotten. The impact of domestic violence against the individual impacts the entire family. The cycle continues. I volunteer and support the Center because I believe we can change the outcome and alter the cycle.”

The Center for Women in Transition reports that they are “recognized throughout Michigan as a model for excellence in both front-line client service and behind-the-scenes operations. That ongoing reputation is a credit to current and past leadership, staff and volunteers, a passionate and tireless group for whom empowering survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault is more than a job -- it’s a calling.” 

You can read more about the mission of The Center for Women in Transition and how you can help by visiting their website: cwitmi.org