Best bank: Mountain West

Lynne Haley Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 8 months AGO

-- Photo by LYNNE HALEY The lobby of Bonners Ferry Mountain West Bank welcomes customers with color and light.

-- Photo by LYNNE HALEY The staff at Mountain West, voted best bank in Boundary County, left to right: Theresa Norman, Renee Albano, Diane Eisenhower, Tammy Klaus, Patti Branson and Merle Ansley. Not pictured: Stacy Leonard, Sam Young, Jayna Ritchey and Teshra Robles.

BONNERS FERRY — People who develop relationships with their bankers know how great it feels when a teller greets them by name upon entering the lobby. Those who bank with the Bonners Ferry branch of Mountain West Bank enjoy that experience consistently. That is one of the many reasons the community voted their local Mountain West as Best Bank and Best Business in the Best of Boundary County contest.

“Our bank truly represents a community bank,” said Bank Manager Patti Branson. “Every September, we close for a Day of Caring through United Way. We go out as a group. Last year, we painted bleachers at the high school, another year we volunteered at the food bank.”

Among her staff of 11, Branson said many were born and raised in Bonners Ferry, including herself.

“It’s quite a compliment that I worked my way from being a teller to becoming branch manager,” she said. “It says a lot about this company.”

One of the bank’s specialties is “legendary service.” Branson said their goal at Mountain West is to build relationships with customers. The bank offers a complete array of financial services for individuals and businesses.

“One of the best compliments I’ve ever had is a customer who said he felt like Norm in ‘Cheers,” she said.

Mountain West and a dozen other sister institutions recently went through a conversion to unite them all under the umbrella of the Glacier Family of Banks. The banking group, which includes First State Bank, North Cascades Bank, First Bank of Montana and several others extends across six states, including Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. A customer of any bank in the group can make transactions at any of these locations. The first Mountain West Bank opened in Coeur d’Alene in 1993 while the Bonners Ferry branch has been open since 2005 in the former Zions Bank location.

Branson said her bank regularly gives back to the community. For example, it buys livestock at the fair and donates the meat to community centers such as the Restorium.

“We’ll be hosting a tailgate party for homecoming,” she said, with proceeds going to the high school booster club.

“We have a fun, good team,” said Branson.