How F&M Bank’s Nick Means Is Changing the Conversation
When Nick Means talks about money, he doesn’t start with numbers. He starts with people.
For more than 20 years, Nick has built his career at F&M Bank around one simple idea — that financial knowledge should be a foundation, not an afterthought. As the bank’s Community Banking Officer, he’s made it his mission to bring financial empowerment to every corner of the community, especially to those who have historically been left out of the conversation.
“People are often figuring things out as they go,” Nick says. “My goal is to prepare them for what could happen so when life happens, they’re ready for it.”
Teaching Where It Matters Most
Nick’s work takes him everywhere from boardrooms to classrooms. He regularly leads workshops at Livingstone College, Salisbury Academy, and South Rowan High School’s L.I.F.E. program, helping students and adults alike understand the basics of budgeting, credit, and saving.
Now, he’s teaching a new financial literacy curriculum at North Rowan High School, developed in partnership with F&M Bank, to give students the real-world tools they need to make sound financial decisions before and after graduation.
“In the community where I grew up, there weren’t a lot of people who talked about finances,” Nick says. “As I gained knowledge in this profession, I wanted to give back by empowering my community. Because if you start off handling your finances properly, everything in life becomes a little easier.”
A Banker Who Builds Relationships First
Nick’s path to community banking began at Catawba College, where a part-time job at F&M Bank introduced him to a career that combined service and purpose. Over the years, he’s moved from teller to office manager to community leader, guided by the values instilled in him by his family — which includes educators, a coach, and a pastor— and by the examples set by F&M Bank leadership.
“When we created the Community Banking Officer position, it wasn’t to give Nick a new title,” says Steve Fisher, F&M Bank’s Chairman and CEO. “It was to give him the space to focus even more on what he does best: building trust and strengthening our community.”
That trust-building happens every day, whether Nick is teaching, mentoring, or simply showing up where he’s needed. His work connects directly to F&M Bank’s mission to be a true community partner — a bank that invests in people, not just products.
One of Nick’s proudest moments came during a financial literacy seminar at Catawba College. After the session, a student approached a professor and said, “I want to work with him. I want to work for that bank.” That student, Carter, is now a personal banker at F&M Bank. It’s a full-circle story that illustrates how one conversation can change a life — and how education can build both confidence and opportunity.
Service Beyond the Bank
Outside of his formal role, Nick serves on numerous boards and committees, including The Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation, Catawba College Board of Trustees, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Rowan Steering Committee, Next Generation Academy, and the Rowan-Salisbury School System Career and Technical Education Advisory Board.
He also finds time to coach youth sports and volunteer with organizations that strengthen the local community. But for Nick, service has never been about recognition — it’s about impact.
“Most people do what they do for a paycheck or a title,” he says. “I do it because I feel like it’s what I was called to do. There’s a need, and I want to fill it. Because when people see us show up, when they see that we care, that’s when trust is built.”
Nick uses the term financial empowerment rather than “financial literacy” because it reflects what he hopes people will walk away with — not just understanding, but confidence and the tools to navigate.
“Regardless of how much you make, knowing how to manage your finances helps set you up for success,” he says. “It affects everything — mental health, relationships, stability. Health is wealth, and financial health is part of that.”
Through his work, Nick embodies what F&M Bank has always stood for: a tradition of service, integrity, and community partnership. His approach reminds people that banking can be personal — that there’s a place where clients are known by name, where education is part of the service, and where showing up truly matters.
“Community banking is about relationships,” Nick says. “It’s about being the bank that shows up, invests in people, and helps them build something lasting. That’s what F&M Bank has always stood for — and that’s what I’m proud to represent.”