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Plainfield
company gets Iowa bank up and running after tornado
June 16, 2008
By Nick Fawell Special to The Sun
In the wake of the massive tornado that destroyed hundreds of
homes in Parkersburg, Iowa, a Plainfield company is coming to
the rescue of local businesses.
A young company that specializes in disaster relief, Recovery
Solutions helps businesses and other organizations get their
facilities up and running after disasters - in this case the
¾-mile-wide tornado that ravaged the small town of Parkersburg
on May 25. It destroyed hundreds of buildings and left eight
people dead.
Banking specialty
» Click to enlarge image
Rick Lavin, president
and CEO of Recovery Solutions in Plainfield, was in Parkersburg,
Iowa, last week helping First State Bank get back on its feet
after a ¾-mile-wide tornado ravaged the small town May 25.
Sun file photo
» Click to enlarge image
An American flag waves atop a home in ruins May 27 in Parkersburg,
Iowa, after a twister ripped apart the town, destroying 288
homes. It left eight people dead.
Christopher Gannon / Des Moines Register /
AP
Banking
specialty
The company specializes in recovery for banks because of the
complex infrastructure involved, and also provides mobile
trailers, furniture, and all the technology needed for all
businesses or organizations to continue operations as soon
as possible after a disaster.
And they work fast.
"Within 10 minutes of our arrival, the banks could be
picking up e-mails," Rick Lavin, president and CEO, said
via cell phone, still on site helping to ensure smooth operations.
"Within a day, we can get them up and fully operational."
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Started in 2005, Recovery Solutions has six employees, most
of whom have extensive banking experience and saw the need
for a disaster plan for banks to continue serving their customers
in the wake of a disaster.
Between Recovery Solutions and North American Builders, another
disaster relief organization that often works with Lavin's
crew, 53 mobile units are placed throughout the country ready
to be transported to a disaster site on a dime. Once the mobile
units are on site, Recovery Solutions employs satellite technology
to get the bank's complex technological infrastructure up
and running.
Each mobile unit is about 800 square feet, and along with
the furniture and technology comes everything a regular bank
would need: a drive-up window, private offices, a reception
area and bulletproof glass. Nothing is overlooked.
Iowa challenge
First State Bank in Parkersburg represents the biggest challenge
to date for Lavin and his burgeoning company. Although it
was irreparably damaged, it was not completely demolished
like many structures in Parkersburg. The site of the building
was still frightening.
"We found washers, dryers, lawnmowers thrown up against
the back of the building," bank president Doug Benjamin
said. "One corner of our bank was severely damaged because
of that."
Benjamin said the rebuilding task is a daunting one but Lavin
and his group have been "very impressive" in getting
the bank back up and running just days after the tornado hit.
In addition to the structure, the bank's employees took just
as big of a hit. Six of the nine bank employees had their
homes completely destroyed. Benjamin, who frantically tried
to get a hold of his employees during the chaos without much
luck, went out driving and found one of them wandering the
street, disoriented.
"It's very emotional," Benjamin said. "When
I think about it; it chokes you up."
Although he specializes in disaster relief, seeing the devastation
doesn't get easier for Lavin.
"Everywhere you look there are mounds and mounds of debris,"
Lavin said. "Your heart goes out to these people. What
they've lost is a humbling experience."
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