You know greatness when you see it. You know consistency when you see it. You understand differences when you see them. Well, here are two examples of superb execution and a consistency of growth: Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and TCF Financial, Inc. (NYSE:TCB). Both so different, yet so much alike.

TCB , as TCF Financial is known, is not a nationally known bank, but more of a regional player. They have operations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado and Indiana. In these neck of the woods they are known as the bank to Joe lunch bucket and to the university students. TCB has branches in grocery stores as well as stand alone branches. The hours of the grocery stores are TCB's hours as well. They have gimmicky give away prizes for opening a checking account and they are most forgiving on checks with non-sufficient funds. Forgiving to the tune of $25 each time!! This bank executes its plan flawlessly and they clearly know who their customer is and is not. They give university students their first credit card, carrying of course a fairly high interest rate, but it's still credit.

TCF Financial will never cater to the latte set or the champagne crowd, but its customer loyalty is legendary in the Midwest.By the way, the stock is just under its 52-week high and the company pays a healthy 3.7% dividend.

Wells Fargo & Co. -WFC- is based in San Francisco, but also has strong Midwestern roots. Their legendary CEO Dick Kovacevich is from Minneapolis and has been at the banks helm ever since Wells Fargo merged with Norwest bank ( based in Minneapolis before Wells merger). WFC has an upper crust customer base and it services that base relentlessly. They know how to capture customers and more importantly, keep them. Kovacevich has instilled a culture of passion within Wells that is felt right down to the tellers. Yes, Wells Fargo still has tellers!!

Wells Fargo shuns away from international banking as the profit margins and risk profile are more suspect. WFC knits its daily sweater right in the USA. It is the bank for mid-size to large businesses and has a powerful consumer franchise. Its product offerings are nearly endless and creative. By the way, WFC is also just below its 52-week high and pays a healthy 3.1% dividend.

So here you have two banks on different ends of the spectrum, yet both highly profitable, successful and customer driven. Twin sons of different mothers...

Georges Yared is the author of "Baby Boomer Investing...Where do we go from here?" and "Stop Losing Money Today". For more info go to http://www.georgesyared.com