Starting his own freight brokerage and trucking company with just $100 and a phone line in his basement, Matthew White earned a name for himself as a businessman that was reliable. 15 years later, having been through life's "hills and valleys," Matt now finds himself humble, tough, and operating at a high level with a gained perspective.

So, when you walk in the doors of Pacific Trading Inland you may find surfboards and Nerf guns as the decor, and you might hear bragging and jokes about fishing, hunting, and Go Kart races among the team. Sounds fun, right? But, the shipping and trucking business is not one for the thin-skinned. You have to understand logistics, pricing and negotiation. You use the phone a lot and coordinate around volatile and unpredictable things on the road. It's not easy and often times high-pressure. Thus, the crew finds ways to blow off steam and have a good time - its part of the culture Matt has built.

Matt was once a one-man shop - when a significant milestone meant having hold-music on the phone line. Today, he has ten employees he cares deeply about and he's grounded in a perspective that you need to take care of your people. "Life and work - its hills and valleys." says Matt. "I've been there. I've been poor. It's not fun. I've also been very successful and made mistakes. Now, it's about doing what we do well and taking care of people." And that extends beyond his employees to clients dependent on reliable service as the life blood of their businesses. Through the tough times Matt remained reliable. "Guys around here cowboy'd up and I still paid the trucks. No matter what, you have to pay the truck." and his client relationships are stronger than ever.

Similarly, taking care of our banking partners is what we do at Lewis & Clark Bank. Matt appreciates that. At the time the recession hit, loyalty and good performance was not reciprocated by Matt's previous banks. When a big bank shut off his credit card because of a simple accounting error, after 10 years of never missing a payment, Matt was very frustrated. Not only that, at the same time another local bank tried to change the terms on a line of credit years after it was opened. "It wasn't right. Period. When you have done things the right way you don't want to be treated like that... especially when you're down." Matt knew Mark Ellingson at Lewis & Clark Bank and moved his accounts.

"I really like the people at Lewis & Clark Bank. It is like walking into a family. They're honest with me and no surprises. They'll also rib me in good fun. No mercy from the ladies in the lobby!" It's nothing like what Matt receives at his office, but Lewis & Clark Bankers can have a little fun, too.