Columbia Falls welcomed Stockman Bank with a grand opening event recently, with more than 150 people attending.

More than two years under construction, the new financial institution promises to be a Columbia Falls landmark for decades to come, with its brick facade and domed windows that look out onto the Swan Range.

“This is a substantial investment by Stockman Bank in Columbia Falls,” branch manager Mark Johnson said during a tour of the facility.

Founded in 1953, Stockman is headquartered in Miles City, providing personal, business, agricultural, and real estate services.

William “Bill” Coffee is the bank’s CEO and has been its board chairman since 2008. It is a Montana-only bank, with 45 branches across the state.

Stockman is a full-service bank, with checking, savings, money markets, consumer, real estate, agriculture and commercial loans available. It has a 24-hour ATM and drive-up service as well.

In addition, it offers wealth management like individual retirement accounts, trusts and other financial services, as well as insurance services to its customers. Johnson’s staff is made up of local talent, including Claudine Johnson in wealth management, Tiffany Lee in insurance, Abby Hader in real estate loans, Justin Lovitt in consumer loans, Rebekah Sullens as branch operations supervisor and Johnson handles commercial loans.

Johnson began his banking career in high school, working at First Interstate Bank in Great Falls. He went to Montana State University, got a degree in finance and worked as a loan assistant for First Security while in Bozeman during college.

In 1996, he moved to Columbia Falls when he was hired on as a consumer lender for Glacier Bank. He’s been here ever since. Johnson and his wife, Molly, have two grown children.

“I was one of those kids that always wanted to be a banker,” Johnson said. “I always wanted to help people.”

The building itself is already a Columbia Falls icon. It’s the Coffee family’s intent that every Montana community deserves a brick-and-mortar bank that will last 100 years, even more.

The building is gorgeous, with its huge windows and iconic light fixtures. It was designed by architect Michael Tuss of Cushing Terrell.

The first floor is the banking operation, the second floor is insurance and wealth management and the third floor is available for lease to the proper tenant.

The third floor might be the best, with its expansive view of the city and Swan Range as well as a balcony around the roof.

The building took more than two years to build, using local contractors. It opened last month to customers.

“We’ve got a quality product and unique architecture,” Johnson noted.

The grand opening also came with support for several Columbia Falls nonprofits. The Columbia Falls Academic Endowment, the Columbia Falls Kids Foundation, the Glacier National Park Conservancy, and the Glacier Institute all received $10,000 apiece, while the Columbia Falls Community Foundation and the Columbia Falls Food Bank received $5,000 apiece.