BankWest Opens Spearfish Branch
SPEARFISH, S.D. – A South Dakota bank, whose history pre-dates the granting of statehood, is taking a unique approach to opening its newest branch in Spearfish.
BankWest President, Chairman and CEO Charles H. Burke III said, “Our management team has worked through a variety of experiences as we’ve opened 19 full-service banks throughout the state. In Spearfish, we initially entered the market in 2014 with the opening of our insurance agency, then expanded to include mortgage services in 2017, and added lending services in 2021.”
Burke said in order to offer a full-service location in Spearfish, the bank needed to secure a location that would provide convenient access for customers while also meeting the lobby, office, and operational needs of the bank. He said they were fortunate to find an excellent location in the former Black Hills Urgent Care building at 120 E. Michigan Street. Following an extensive remodel, the main floor of the building will become BankWest’s permanent home, while the medical practices on the second floor will remain in place.
“While our new building will be ideal for both customers and employees in the long run, the need to remodel created a short-term challenge to our plans for opening the bank this spring,” Burke said. “Our solution to this challenge was to open the temporary branch currently located in our parking lot on the east side of our Michigan Street location.” The temporary building is a 14’ X 40’ mobile unit that includes a teller line, offices for lenders, and the operational equipment required to provide bank services.
BankWest’s Northern Hills Manager Casey Derflinger currently oversees banking operations at the Spearfish location. He said, “We couldn’t wait to get our doors open in Spearfish, and the temporary facility allowed us to do that as soon as possible. BankWest’s brand of community banking is a perfect fit to support the diverse needs of Spearfish area residents, businesses, and ag operators. We’ve assembled an experienced team of financial professionals who share the philosophy that there’s no financial goal too large or too small for them to assist their customers with.”
In addition to Derflinger, BankWest employees include Business Development Officer Daryl Knott, Universal Banker Linsey Eckhart, and Universal Banker Noah Loerzel. BankWest’s Spearfish branch is now open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 120 E. Michigan Street.
