Longtime banker on way back to Springs

Four years after he sold First National Bank of Colorado Springs to a Nebraska holding company, Rob Alexander is on his way back into the Colorado Springs banking industry.
State Bank of Bartley, a Nebraska institution of which Alexander is chairman and co-owner, is acquiring one of two Colorado banking charters of the Evans-based Bank of Choice as a way for it to expand to Colorado Springs, where it will operate as Stockmens Bank, Alexander said.
The move still requires approval by Nebraska and federal regulators, but could happen in as few as three months, he said.
State Bank, which has $35 million in assets, already operates a lending office with five employees in downtown Colorado Springs and will convert it into a full-service banking branch if it gets the required approvals, Alexander said. The bank would focus mostly on business lending, he said.
An investor group led by Alexander sold First National to Nebraska-based Pinnacle Bancorp Inc., which operates in Colorado as Bank of Colorado, after making it El Paso County’s fastest-growing financial institution during the previous five years.
He began his banking career at what is now Chase Bank and later started a lending firm he eventually sold to Wells Fargo & Co

Banking 'on the go'

FirstBank, Colorado's largest locally owned bank with $8.6 billion in assets, is offering what it calls a new tool to help shoppers and travelers manage their money during the holiday season.

Internet banking customers now can check account balances and transfer funds across accounts using their mobile phones, including while waiting in line at the mall or waiting for a flight at the airport.

The mobile banking feature is available to AT&T Wireless customers, and Verizon customers are expected to gain access in December. FirstBank provides the service at no charge, although connectivity and usage rates may apply.

A six-digit PIN is required to access account information, for security reasons, and the information is not stored in the phone.

Ent closer to Fort Collins?

The board of directors at Ent Federal Credit Union has sent the results of its Thursday night vote on whether to bid for Norlarco Credit Union in Fort Collins to the National Credit Union Administration. The NCUA board is scheduled to meet Dec. 13, when it is expected to approve a buyer. Although the Ent board's vote was not revealed, an action of sending the decision to the NCUA indicates Ent's interest. Ent's senior vice president Jim Moore confirmed the board's action Friday. The NCUA, which insures credit union deposits, took over Norlarco in May amid mounting losses from construction loans in Florida. The agency told Norlarco’s 43,366 members last month it was seeking buyers for the credit union.

Go east, old bank

Pueblo Bank & Trust has moved its downtown Colorado Springs branch to 415 E. Pikes Peak Ave. from 101 N. Cascade Ave.
The independent, locally-owned bank, founded in 1889, operates 11 branches in Boulder, Canon City, Colorado Springs, Denver, Leadville, Pueblo and Salida with assets totaling $360 million.
Robert Kunkleman, a former California real estate developer, partnered with Drew Fletemeyer, a Springs general contractor, and local architect Mark Pelletier, to develop the 42,000-square-foot, four-story office condominium project southeast of Pikes Peak and Wahsatch avenues.
For more information, go to http://www.pbandt.com/

Twiggy the squirrel

If you missed Twiggy, the water-skiing squirrel, when he last visited Colorado Springs, you will have another chance to see him on Saturday Oct. 20.
Twiggy and the BMX Pro Stunt team, featuring three-time ESPN X-Games gold medal winner Trevor Meyer, will be featured at the grand opening celebration for Integrity Bank’s third branch at 13475 Voyager Parkway, southeast of Voyager Parkway and North Gate Boulevard.
The squirrel, which drew a crowd of more than 1,000 at another Integrity branch opening in 2005, is scheduled to perform at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon, while the BMX team performs at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The branch opened on Monday.

U.S. expands check-cashing program

U.S. Bank is expanding to Denver a service it tested in Colorado Springs that allows noncustomers to cash some types of payroll and government checks.
The service, which uses special software from Texas-based Valid Systems Inc. to verify the recipients identity by checking multiple databases, is now available at the bank’s 62 Denver area branches. The system had been tested in Colorado Springs since January.
The bank reported a 50 percent increase in transaction during the the second month and nearly half of all users becoming repeat customers by the third month. The bank also said branches increased new account openings by the second month of the program.
U.S. Bank charges a 1 percent fee ($1 for every $100 paid through the check) to cash preprinted payroll, government or tax refund checks up to $2,500. More than half of the participants in the program in mid-April were between 18 and 29 years old, the bank said.

U.S. Bank donates to TESSA

U.S. Bank in southern Colorado on Aug. 14 donated 300 gift bags containing toiletries for children who have been in homes with domestic violence to domestic violence prevention agencies in four cities, including TESSA in Colorado Springs.

Other agencies receiving donations were the YMCA Domestic Violence Shelter in Pueblo, the Family Crisis Center in Canon City and the Arkansas Valley Resource Center in La Junta.

Donations from U.S. Bank's 150 southern Colorado employees included toothbrushes, shampoo, soaps, combs and other everyday items.

The volunteer effort is part of U.S. Bank's national sponsorship of the sixth annual Community Build Day, which calls for financial services companies to help build their communities through activities such as food drives and fundraising walks. This year, U.S. Bank employees are participating in more than 170 projects in 119 cities.

Ent adds Monument branch

Ent Federal Credit Union has opened its 24th branch at 16050 Old Forest Point in Monument's Jackson Creek Shopping Center.
Southern Colorado's largest financial institution will celebrate a grand opening for the branch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 18. The 4,000-square-foot branch includes three drive-through lanes, automatic teller machines and safe deposit boxes with biometric access.
Tanan Miles is manager of the new branch. He has more than 10 years of financial experience with Deseret First Credit Union and Chase Bank.
Ent has more than 180,000 members and $2.2 billion in assets at branches in the Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo areas.

Ent is losing Hope -- literally

Ent Federal Credit Union is losing hope, literally.
Southern Colorado’s largest financial institution will close its Hope branch July 6 because its lease on the building expires July 31, said Jim Moore, Ent’s senior vice president. Ent sold the branch in 2005 to partnership headed by developer Chuck Murphy.
Ent acquired the branch at 555 E. Costilla St. in a 1989 merger with Hope-Coronado Federal Credit Union, but got a larger, more convenient downtown branch at 123 S. Weber St. in a 2001 merger with Mountain Bell Credit Union. The Weber Street branch will remain open.
The four employees at the Hope branch will be relocated to other branches, Moore said. The credit union is expanding — it plans to open its newest branch by July 31 at 16050 Old Forest Point in Monument and is studying expanding branches in Briargate, Falcon and Fountain.

Wachovia poised to compete

Wachovia banks aren't in the Springs, but its recent buyout of A.G. Edwards brokerage could be the starting point for expansion of the bank here and in the state. Wachovia already owns World Savings banks in the Springs. Put them all together and we could see World branches turning into Wachovias to make easier access for customers to visit for banking and brokerage services. A.G. Edwards' offices in the state, 16 in all, combined with Wachovia Securities offices, 10 in all, also could give the Wachovia name more presence and also serve as banking branches in addition to the 32 World Savings locations, including three in the Springs. Wachovia is in a situation to reposition itself as a major competitor with Wells Fargo and Ent in the Pikes Peak region. Stay tuned.
(Posting courtesy of the Biz Blog's sister blog: Dan's Dollars & Sense)

Ent celebrates anniversary with CD bonus

Ent Federal Credit Union, southern Colorado's largest financial institution, is celebrating its 50th anniversary by paying 50 basis points (0.50 percent) more on any certificate of deposit opened by April 19.
Rates for certificates with a $500 minimum deposit vary from 5.6 percent to 5.8 percent with the anniversary bonus included. Go to http://www.ent.com/services/certificates.asp for more information.

Big step for Colorado Springs shredding company

Colorado Springs-based RealTime Shredding has made a significant breakthrough in its second year by getting New Frontier Bank, based in Greeley, to become the first bank in the nation to acquire and install self-service shredding kiosks for customer and public use. New Frontier Bank has installed RealTime's Self-Service Shredder, the model designed specifically for business and consumer use, at its locations in Greeley, Longmont, and Windsor. The kiosks cross-cut shred paper, cardboard, credit cards, paper clips, staples, CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. The industrial-strength shredder, featuring multiple control points for maximum safety, can shred up to 200 sheets of paper a minute. Customers and the general public can use RealTime Shredding (www.realtimeshredding.com) kiosks at no charge. The kiosks are located in the banks' lobbies and are available for use during normal lobby hours of operation.

Ent looking pretty good for 50

Ent Federal Credit Union wants its 175,000 members to help it celebrate its 50th anniversary at a series of events next month.
The $2.1 billion financial institution is inviting members to visit any of its 24 branches in the Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo areas on March 7, including a special ceremony with longtime members at its Bon branch, 2336 N. Wahsatch Ave.
The credit union also will host "Ent: It's Your Future Expo" from 3-7 p.m. March 22 at the Antlers Hilton hotel, 4 S. Cascade Ave., featuring seminars, interactive displays and other activities. The expo also will feature the credit union's annual meeting, which includes election of directors and reports to members.
Ent was started by eight volunteers with $602 in deposits from 30 members at Ent Air Force Base (now site of the U.S. Olympic Training Center) and has grown to become southern Colorado's largest financial institution.
For information go to www.ent.com/50th.

TCF Bank, Well Fargo stay open on holiday

The majority of financial institutions in the Pikes Peak region will be closed Monday Jan. 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Day - but not all of them. TCF Bank, which markets itself as "Colorado's Most Convenient Bank" because it's open 359 days a year, will be doing business as usual and Wells Fargo will open 53 of its 140 banks in Colorado, including all of those in Colorado Springs.

Wells Fargo allows its regional presidents to determine what they want to do about holiday hours. This year that means the Denver Metro and northern Colorado Wells Fargo branches will be closed Jan. 15 while those in southern and western Colorado will stay open. "It's a community by community decision," said Cristie Drumm, Wells Fargo spokeswoman. "All the banks in Wyoming are open Monday. All those in Montana are closed."

Among those taking the day off are 1stBank, Ent Federal Credit Union, Vectra Bank Colorado, Farmers State Bank, The Bank at Broadmoor, KeyBank, First Community Bank, Colorado National Bank, Air Academy Federal Credit Union and American National Bank. Academy Bank will offer service only at its Wal-Mart locations