You can't fake culture. You can put posters in the break room and bring in an ice cream
truck on Fridays, but your employees and your customers will know the difference. Real
culture is lived, not declared — and when it's real, it shows up in your marketing without
you having to force it.

Peter Ort is EVP and COO at MCS Bank in central Pennsylvania, where he oversees
operations, development, and marketing strategy. MCS Bank serves communities that
range from Penn State's tech-driven economy to rural Amish communities — and
Peter's approach to building a consistent culture across that spectrum is something any
bank can learn from.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why marketing isn't just external — and how celebrating your employees
internally creates the stories that power your external brand
• The courier who fixed a customer's gate, and why you can't buy that kind of
marketing
• How to find your real culture: honest assessment, anonymous surveys, and
getting out of the corner office
• Four elements of a thriving culture: voice, trust, communication, and shared
vision
• Why Peter hires on attitude over aptitude — and sits in on every interview,
including part-time summer hires
• The difference between telling your story and telling your customers' stories —
and how the best marketing is when your customers celebrate you

Lightning round:
• Personal best: Graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania Bankers
Association Advanced School of Banking
• Book: The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
• Best advice received: Never take criticism from someone you wouldn't take
advice from
• What he tells his team: "Are you ready for another day of banking excellence?"

Resources:
• Peter Ort: peter.ort@mcs.bank
• Peter on LinkedIn
• Book: The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
• The Bank Marketing Show: www.bankmarketingshow.com