1st Source Bank Business Banker Karolina Dragulski creates support, connection, and success for business owners

Karolina Dragulski has been a business banker with 1st Source Bank for just over a year. She gets the opportunity to work firsthand with businesses throughout Lake County and the surrounding area, empowering and helping owners to make informed financial decisions.

“We help business owners make confident banking decisions by aligning capital, treasury, and risk solutions with their long-term goals,” Dragulski said. “We work as an extension of business owners’ advisory councils alongside their Certified Public Accountant (CPA), attorney, and internal leadership team to really ensure their banking strategies promote growth, stability, and flexibility.”

Her role supporting businesses in times of both growth and hardship gives her a unique perspective that she uses to support her clients.

“We get to experience the business life cycle in its entirety. I support growth periods during expansion, and I work alongside clients to navigate economic downturns,” Dragulski said. “It builds a lot of trust and credibility for me as a banker, and it absolutely strengthens the long-term relationship with clients. I become more than just a financing source for them; I become a trusted advisor navigating opportunities and setbacks together. It allows me to provide more meaningful guidance and support to my clients.”

1st Source Bank is the largest locally controlled financial institution headquartered in the northern Indiana-southwestern Michigan area. The reputation 1st Source Bank has built in the community through consistent excellence and customer service is what initially attracted Dragulski when she moved from the Chicagoland area.

“We are a community-focused, regional bank with institutional capabilities, and that is unique,” Dragulski said. “As a bank, we tend to be deeply rooted and involved in the communities we serve, and we’re empowered to serve our clients with a comprehensive suite of solutions. We are also a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.”

1st Source Bank offers a variety of lending services for local businesses, including industry-specific loan options, and bankers who specialize in niche industries. 1st Source Bank also offers small business banking solutions that focus on supporting local small businesses through everything from business checking accounts and credit cards to payment processing and retirement planning

1st Source encourages their employees to be involved in the communities where they live and work, and in her short time at the Bank, Dragulski has done just that. She is involved in several local organizations – including committees within the Crossroads Chamber of Commerce and the board of Exceptional Equestrians Unlimited – and dedicates her time and expertise when possible towards uplifting her community.

“Community leadership is a core value at 1st Source Bank,” Dragulski said. “We understand that our success is built on the success of all who live, work, and do business in the communities we serve.”

The team she works with at 1st Source Bank is another perk for Dragulski.

“The people I work alongside are some of the most outstanding individuals,” she said. “They care about what we do. They take initiative and are helpful. They’re genuine and kind human beings, and that makes my job easier.”

With more than 25 years of banking experience, and a year at 1st Source Bank now under her belt, Dragulski is extremely satisfied with the work she’s doing and the people helping her do it.

 “There’s a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment in being a business banker. It’s not about one experience, one client, or one aspect of the role. It’s about the big picture of providing guidance and financial solutions to a business. This guidance could include everything from expansion, job creation, succession planning, long-term stability, and even wealth building, which in turn positively impacts the community,” Dragulski said. “That ripple effect is why I do what I do.”

Ready to connect with 1st Source Bank about your business? Visit 1stsource.com/business to learn more about its services or to connect with a business banker like Dragulski.