High Country Bank is CELEBRATING 130 YEARS!!!!
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Dear High Country Bank Customers,

This month, we wanted to share a bit of interesting history with all of you, as High Country Bank is celebrating its 130th year. If you have not heard our story already, please take some time to read about our journey, which thankfully includes YOU, our customers. 

High Country Bank's mission is to Strengthen our communities, Help our neighbors, Promote career growth and Development of our employees, and Reward our stakeholders.
 
On October 27, 1886, an organization meeting of citizens of Chaffee County Colorado was held for the purpose of organizing a Building and Loan Association. Mr. J. B. Randall was elected Chairman and W.W. Roller was elected Secretary of the Committee to proceed working on a charter. There were nine directors elected from the shareholders present at a meeting held on November 4, 1886, and so was the beginning of High Country Bank. The original bank was called the Chaffee County Bank before forming a Building Society and chartering Salida Building & Loan Association. 
In 1937, the Association applied for and was granted the right to insure savings accounts by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation and became a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka. 
 
One of our earliest locations was at 132 F Street, Salida, however in 1971 the association purchased the property where the Downtown office is now located. Construction of the new facility started in November of 1973 and was completed and occupied in June of 1974. 
 
In December of 1997, the institution converted from a locally owned institution to a public stock owned institution and is still traded under the ticker symbol HCBC. On February 15, 2000, to better reflect the areas we serve, our name was officially changed to High Country Bank.  
 
In April of 1999, the Bank started construction on a new bank building on Highway 50, in Salida and was completed and occupied in April of 2000. It is presently the home office of the Bank. The Downtown branch still operates out of the 130 W. 2nd location. In 1996 the Bank opened a branch in Buena Vista, Colorado and subsequently built our current full service branch facility at 516 Hwy 24 North, Buena Vista, Colorado. In September of 2001, the Bank opened a loan production office in Canon City, Colorado, and in July of 2005, a new building was remodeled and completed for our full service branch in Canon City at our current location of 150 N. Raynolds Avenue.

On April 1, 2009, we converted our Bank from an Office of Thrift Supervision regulated Federal Thrift Charter to a Colorado State Charter, Federal Reserve Member Commercial Bank.

High Country Bank is the largest financier of real estate loans in Chaffee County, with more than 278 loans closed in 2015. That is 45.86 percent of real estate loans in Chaffee County. 
 
High Country Investment Services operates from the Buena Vista Branch where financial representative, Judy Somers, conducts a full service financial center including retirement planning, estate planning, and college funding. Additionally, she provides access to investing in fixed and variable annuities, mutual funds, IRA's, and stocks and bonds. 
 
Community support is high on the list of priorities of the Bank. Last year, we donated over $100,000 in support to local organizations, non-profits, and schools. Some of the organizations that we proudly support include Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, Neighbor to Neighbor, Boys and Girls Club, Alliance Against Domestic Abuse, Chaffee County Search and Rescue, Ark-Valley Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Farm to Table, Art Walk, Friends of the Steamplant, and many more.
 
"We love doing business with local people and keeping money in the local communities that we serve,"Larry Smith, High Country Bank President says.
 
High Country Bank employs around 70 people at our four locations. Directors include Larry Smith, Tim Glenn, Pete Cordova, Phil Harsh, Rich Young, and Rich Edgington. We are a member of the American Banking Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, and Independent Bankers of Colorado. 
 
In celebration of our 130th year we have not only launched a brand new website, but we are also embarking on a journey using social media!  If you have not liked us on Facebook yet, please do so. We look forward to celebrating our 130th with numerous giveaways through our Facebook page; gift cards to local businesses, shirts, mugs, and much more! 
 
Our success is owed to our dedicated staff that we consider family.  We sincerely appreciate the dedication and value that each and every one brings to our organization.  We hope you, too, will recognize and thank them when you get a chance to do so. 
 
And of course, we would not be where we are today, without our customers and our community. A heartfelt thanks to you, our customers, for keeping High Country Bank as your bank of choice. It is your business that allows us to meet our mission and goals.  

Warmly,

Your Friends at High Country Bank
Service to Our Community


High Country Bank is proud to announce its November Charities of the month; Christmas Mountain in Salida, Toys for Tots in Buena Vista, and Loaves and Fishes in Canon City.
 

HCB Employees prepared and served breakfast burritos to 110 ATV riders.  The Fall Color Tour is Sponsored by the Buena Vista Chamber Of Commerce. 


Pictured left to right...Glynis Laub, Val Austin, Carolyn Gibson, Irene Ryan, Brad Somers, Judy Somers
 
 









This past October, High Country Bank made a donation to Starpoint Gathering in Gratitude.  To make a donation to this organization, is sincerely an honor. Our community knows that Starpoint is truly an asset to Chaffee County.  To learn more about Starpoint, visit www.starpointco.com.

High Country Bank also made a donation to Salida Soup's October recipient, Sage Generation.  Sage Generation is a non-profit organization striving to meet the needs of our senior community.  To learn more about Sage Generation, visit www.sagegeneration.org.  

 






Many thanks to the Salida Steamplant for hosting the 1st annual High Country Bank Oktoberfest.  This event was held on October 2nd, and proved to be a"keeper"for our hometown!  Fun was had, from stein hoisting , to the "Long Dog Derby", to a fabulous polka band!


Pictured left to right...Chuck Deveney, Terry Deveney, and Val Kononen







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High Country Bank, along with its employees honor our local military personnel. Please join High Country Bank for their 4th Annual Veteran's Luncheon, Thursday, November 10th from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, at either the Salida Highway 50 or the Buena Vista Highway 24 locations.  At our Canon City location we will be honoring our veterans from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm with homemade baked goods, punch, and coffee.  








We are grateful to have the opportunity to engage our neighbors and work with them in "Building Futures Together."  Visit us at www.highcountrybank.net and please like us on Facebook.  Member FDIC.
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