United Bank of Iowa

This is a question we asked Marcia Cates, Vice President of Marketing at United Bank of Iowa, who will be retiring at the end of 2025. She shared, “I enjoy giving back to the community, watching projects develop, and seeing the results of people working together toward a common goal. It’s rewarding! I love the saying, if everyone does a little, the impact is big. I’m just trying to do my part.”

Marcia continued, “I appreciate United Bank of Iowa’s strong commitment to community and the opportunity to help local organizations using the resources available at the bank. The perfect example of this is the Whitey Thompson Hike-Bike-A-Thon, a fundraiser the bank sponsors for OABCIG Dollars for Scholars”. Marcia has led the Hike-Bike event for the past 30 years, achieving record donations this past year of $88,421. Total donations over the past 31 years have reached $1,633,957.

She has also served as an OABCIG Dollars for Scholars board member for 25 years, currently as President, and previously as Vice President for 11 years and Secretary for many years. “The kids know me as the Hike-Bike Lady, which always makes me smile,” Marcia said. “I’m so thankful for all the help from UBI employees, teachers and community volunteers. It’s been so rewarding to watch this event grow and I hope students and the OABCIG communities will continue to support it!”

But Marcia is more than just the Hike-Bike Lady. She currently serves as President of P.E.O. Chapter CB, a philanthropic organization for women. She’s also on the marketing committee of the Ida Grove Economic Development Corporation, where she puts the bank’s marketing and design skills to good use—helping create signage and marketing materials for the new Ida Grove splash pad and disc golf course, brochures for the King Theatre, and more. In the past, Marcia has served on the Ida Grove Community Partners, as a RAGBRAI Co-Chair, with the Ida Grove Chamber of Commerce, and on many church committees, including leading a basketball tournament fundraiser for several years.

Marcia laughed, “When trick-or-treaters came to our home recently, an adult commented that he had never seen me wearing anything other than a UBI shirt. I guess that’s been my style for the last 40 years. I’m very thankful to work at a bank that makes giving back to the community a priority. When you give, you usually get more in return!”