SPOKANE - Wheatland Bank announced Thursday that it received a superior five-star rating from the nation's leading bank rating and research firm.

Bauerfinancial awarded the rating to the bank, indicating that Wheatland is one of the strongest banks in the nation.

To earn a five-star rating, Wheatland Bank met and surpassed the firm's standards for capital, asset quality and profitability.

"Customers and businesses alike have come to depend on Bauer's five-star rating system," said Bauer Financial President Karen Dorway. "They know to look for the five-star logo to ensure that the trust they have in their bank is well-placed."

Bauerfinancial, located in Florida, is the nation's leading independent bank and credit union rating firm. They have been reporting on and analyzing bank performance since 1983.

No institution pays the firm to rate it, nor can any banks choose to be excluded.

Wheatland Bank is under the leadership of CEO Susan Horton, and the bank has earned the five-star rating for the last 22 consecutive quarters.

Wheatland Bank was founded in Davenport in 1979, initially to serve the needs of other agricultural businesses in Lincoln County.

Since then, the bank has expanded to 13 locations throughout Spokane, Lincoln, Adams, Grant, Chelan, Kittitas and Yakima counties,

Wheatland bank has local branches in Moses Lake, Quincy and Ritzville.