Albert J. Schmid. April 6, 1931 – March 7, 2023.
“I have never had a bad day.”
It’s a remarkable statement, especially considering it came from a man who spent more than 15,000 days at work. With humble beginnings on a farm in Wisner, Nebraska, Al Schmid was destined for greatness over his nearly seven decades of service. Born in 1931 during the Great Depression, Al spent his childhood on his family’s farm, joining the Air Force at age 21.
“I am proud that I was able to serve my country,” he said.
After military service, Al returned to the farm to find a difficult year for crops, forcing him to take a position washing windows, sweeping floors and running errands for Packer’s National Bank. “God gave me a sign,” he said.
That role began to build the foundation of Al’s banking career. Al met John Kotouc, executive co-chairman/CEO of American National Bank, in the late ’80s, when they formed American National Bank of Sarpy County. “When I first met Al in 1988, he showed me a picture of a Faberge egg, something truly unique,” Kotouc said. “He then turned to me and said, ‘That’s what a bank and a banker need to be — unique!’ Al was just that kind of a banker and he helped transform American National Bank of Sarpy County into a unique bank.”
Al’s son Jeff joined Al for many years at ANB of Sarpy County. Al was a charter member of the Papillion Area Lions Club and president of the Papillion Chamber of Commerce. He was proud of the four kids he and his late wife, Dottie, raised during their 62-year marriage.
“I always quote that Jimmy Stewart film,” Al said. “It has been a wonderful life.”
This story was originally published on Omaha.com in 2021 and republished on the American National Bank website. It has been edited for space.