CLIENTS
ENJOYTOUR
OF CALIFORNIA
RABOBANK HELPS
DEVELOP TOMORROW'S
RURAL LEADERS
EVENTS
36 issue 24 ju RI WORLD
As a founding partner and official bank of the Amgen Tour of Cali-
fornia bicycle race in May, Rabobank North America used the eight-
day event to strengthen relationships with communities, cultivate
customer relationships, engage prospective customers and promote
the Rabobank brand in California. With help from cycling legend
Hennie Kuiper, former Rabobank rider Pedro Horrillo and current
Rabobank Pro Cycling Team members, the bank hosted pre-race
cliënt rides, customer receptions, and hospitality tents at the race
stage finishes. The stage finish in California's wine region gave
the bank a perfect opportunity to greet customers of the recently
acquired Napa Community Bank.
More than 1,500 VIP clients, prospects and community leaders
enjoyed the Tour with Rabobank. Initial feedback indicates that more
than $200 million in potential lending and deposit relationships
resulted from the hospitality events.
For the Rabobank team Girscha Niermann and Paul Martens did well
in the overall standings, finishing respectively 19th and 20th.
To further engage prospective customers and promote the brand,
the bank participated in numerous community events associated
with the race and staffed a booth at the Tour's Lifestyle Festival
at stage finishes. Branches brought in new customers with a
Tour-related checking account offer that featured exclusive cycling
design checks, checkbook cover and debit card. Each branch held
a sweepstake for a custom-designed Rabobank cruiser bicycle that
drew thousands of entries.
What?Tour of California
When? 16-23 May 2010
Where?California, USA
Rabobank's National Sponsorship
Manager, Susan Howe says the summit
provides a unique opportunity for
rural students to fulfil their leader
ship potential. "With the assistance of
summit instructors, students develop
individual community-based projects
that will directly benefit their local
region, and they get to implement their
projects when they get home. It's great
that Rabobank supports the summit as
many of these young people are from
communities where we have clients
and also where Rabobank employees
live and work.
Down the track, CEFA representa
ties will undertake a follow-up with
participants to see how their respec-
tive projects are tracking. When we
receive this information, we hope that
Rabobank rural staff will show interest
and offer support in any way they can."
What? Rabobank Young Rural Leaders Summit
WW 7-14 April 2010
Where? Canberra, Austraiia
Developing the leadership skills of
students from the Country Educa-
tion Foundation of Austraiia (CEFA),
who came from communities across
Austraiia, was the goal of the 2010 Ra
bobank Young Rural Leaders Summit,
held at the Tharwa National Park near
Canberra, Austraiia, in April. Thirty-five
students aged 16 to 18 travelled from
communities as far afield as Kangaroo
Island in South Austraiia and Clermont
in Queensland to participate in the
week-long summit, which is now in
its second year. The program, offered
through CEFA's partnership with
Rabobank Austraiia and the Thyne Reid
Foundation, aims to encourage leader
ship in rural youth and help participants
build self-awareness and confidence.
Scholarship participants are selected
on both their leadership potential and
commitment to their local community.