EVANSTON — The grand opening of State Bank was held on Friday, April 12, with a ribbon cutting facilitated by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. State Bank CEO Cody Bateman and President Jon Dolezal, lifelong Wyoming bankers, and VP and Business Development David O’Connell Jr., local business owner, shared with the Herald what this Evanston branch means for their ability to empower the community with accessible and personalized banking solutions.

“State Bank was founded on the belief that banking should be a personal experience. We strive to look you in the eye, shake your hand, and earn your trust,” Bateman said. “Lately, people have started to question if our community banks are here to stay. We understand that concern and want people to know that to us, Evanston isn’t just some town — it’s our home. With this branch, we’re excited to bring a great banking experience to our community. We look forward to showing the people of Evanston what we’re made of and earning the right to be their banker.”

State Bank was established in 1997 by a group of locals in Green River and Rock Springs, who wanted to provide southwest Wyoming with a bank dedicated to serving the financial needs of the community. In March of 2020, a new ownership group began exploring a purchase of the bank with a vision of combining high-trust community banking with quality technology infrastructure to give customers the best of both worlds.

The change of control closed on March 31, 2021, and with it came a new group of investors, board of directors and management team.

Since the acquisition, State Bank has doubled its employees and received state and federal approval to open their third branch in Evanston. The bank’s investments in new technology have led to a step-change in customer experience. State Bank’s online banking platform now offers Bill Pay, ACH/wire transfer origination, compatibility with QuickBooks and other financial service providers that allow easy integration across online platforms.

The bank also introduced a mobile app for businesses and consumers with features including mobile check deposit, bill pay, and Zelle money transfers.

Bateman said, “Another factor that draws people to State Bank is that the people you talk to are the ones who make the decisions. The banking industry is consolidating, making decision-making increasingly centralized. For many, this causes difficulties and delays in the loan approval process. At State Bank on the other hand, customers speak directly to the folks making the final call, making for a more personal banking experience that matches your needs and considers your unique circumstances.”

Both Bateman and Dolezal had worked in banking in Evanston for decades before joining State Bank.

“Working in banking over many years, you see what works and what doesn’t for customers and communities. We wanted to create something unique for southwest Wyoming, and that’s what we’ve done with State Bank,” Dolezal said.

State Bank is staying true to its tagline, “By Locals, For Locals.” All of the employees at the Evanston location were born and raised in Wyoming. Along with Bateman, Dolezal and O’Connell, loan officer Taylor Siemers chose to return from working at a bank in Denver to join the State Bank team in his hometown. Ronnie Sommerville, personal banker, was born and raised in Powell. Madison Maust, personal banker and loan processor, also has local roots.

Bateman encourages residents and business owners to stop by the branch, located in the old Post Office building on the corner of Center and 10th streets. The historical location isn’t lost on Bateman.

“This building is a big part of southwest Wyoming’s history,” he said. “The space has turned out to be incredible — customers tell us it’s a defining part of their experience. As more businesses move in, we think this could bring great energy to downtown and be the start of a special time for Evanston.”