Prime Interest
A Bank of the West Newsletter 
 April/May 2013
In this edition
NEW...BLOG!!
Where's Sparky? Play along with us!
Branch Bits ~ Community Banking Month
Epic Earth Day in Grapevine
Bank hosts Military Swearing in Ceremony
Tee It Forward ~ Golf tips
Build Bikes with Spokes 4 Hope
Go Local!
SBA Forecast
Main St Days volunteer spirit!
Consumer Tips
Mortgages 101
E-statements are Here!

  

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Where's Sparky?
Find Sparky, our cute little Bank of the West car and you could win a $25.00 gift card!
 If you know the name of the business where Sparky is parked in the picture below...  email your guess and you could win a $25.00 gift card. Please click on the link below and enter your guess, along with your contact information and you could win! 
 
Sparky at Style & Grace May 2013
     Hint: Near our Grapevine 121 location, this business has real "Style" when it comes to serving the community.

Bank of the West Employees and employees & family members of business where picture is taken are not eligible  for this contest.
 
 
Branch Bits...

Branches show spirit during Community Banking Month!
With enthusiasm and smiles abound, Bank of the West celebrated Community Banking month in April with great gusto! As a local community bank we are so thrilled when we have the opportunity to show our pride! 
Theme decorated lobbies,  treats and give-a-ways made up the weeks' activities... Take a look at some of our branches.
 
Irving Blvd - diso 2013
Irving Boulevard goes MOD
with a 70's theme.
  
Mr. Monopoly Grapevine Main/Customer Service
Mr Monopoly?
Grapevine Main/Customer Svc.
  
Candy Land Ponder
Candy Land & elementary school coloring contest in Ponder
  
Western Week ~ Lewisville
Lewisville Western Week

 

 

Grapevine's 1st Annual
Epic Earth Day
a success!
A celebration of national Earth Day April 22 and in conjunction with Don't Mess with Texas, our local organization, Keep Grapevine Beautiful held its inaugural Epic Earth Day Experience on Saturday April 6 at the gazebo in historic downtown 
Grapevine.  The event was an overwhelming success with activities, expert speakers, demonstrations, food, beverages & prizes and music by the talented and unique musical group, "Vocal Trash".
Epic Earth Day 2013
Bank of the West sponsors the Hydration Station with free reusable/recyclable cups for
all attendees
Bank of the West was proud to be part of this first ever event in Grapevine which was the signature event for the Great American Cleanup.

 

 

 

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Tee It Forward: Try It, We Think You Will
Like It


The PGA of America and the Grapevine Golf Course endorses this program that will help you play faster and have more fun playing the game. Try moving up a set of tees and have the opportunity to play and hit shots from a position closer to where you see the pros play from. Some of your more novice players might try playing from the 150 or 200 yard marker to the green. Enjoy the opportunity to make birdies and par's like the ladies and guys on TV do. 

Playing from a closer distance has many advantages: It teaches you to control your golf ball better, have the opportunity to make more birdies, less frustration in playing the game, spend less time on a round of golf. Jack Nicklaus endorses this program. Join us and give it a try. We think you will enjoy the game more. Once you try it, tell us what you think. Go to 
Play golfAmerica.com/TEEITFORWARD
 and share your comments and enter to win prizes.

  

 

 

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Bank of the West Hosts
   Military Swearing In Ceremony
 
  

  

With pride and tradition, Bank of the West hosted a military swearing in ceremony conducted by one of their own, Sr. Vice President of Lending, Captain Joseph Hansen.  On Tuesday May 14, 2013, Captain Hansen stood proud on the corporate grounds of Bank of the West Grapevine and swore his 2 daughters into the service in high fashion. Present at the ceremony where the Grapevine VFW Color Guard, Lt Col. Debish, Mayor William D. Tate, Bank of the West Executive Staff and many other military, city and local dignitaries.

 
Hansen Military Swearing in Ceremony
(L -R) BOW Corp Pres Mike Pearce, Lt Col Debish, PO Vistoria Hansen, PO Elexandria Hansen, Cpt Joe Hansen, WO Peskuski, Addison Fire Chief Jones.

PV2 Victoria Hansen has taken the oath just as she graduated from High School. She has been accepted into Military Intelligence (MI) while her older sister PV2 Alexandria Hansen has completed 2 years of college and has been accepted into  Judge Advocate General Corp (JAG).

Both young ladies are clearly following in their fathers footsteps of proudly serving our

 country and will report to basic training in  
BOW Vice Chair & COO Cynthia Blankenship accepts military coins from Cpt Hansen
North Carolina within 2 weeks of one another.
Bank of the West was honored to
host this wonderful and most unique
ceremony for one of their own.
Bank of the West is proud to have a longstanding tradition of
supporting the military in the communities for which we serve. 

Read Press Release

Bank Supports Spokes4Hope
Bicycle Assembly Event June
25 
Sign up today!
   

Bank of the West invites you to join us for a community event in support of Spokes4Hope.  Spokes4HopeSpokes4Hope is a non-profit organization with a mission to help brighten the lives of children who are going through a difficult time in their lives.  With a donation of 40 bicycles from Bank of the West, we hope to brighten the lives of many children in Texas by presenting these new bicycles to them....  but we need your help!
We invite you to join our staff, customers, friends & family at our Main St Grapevine location back parking lot to assemble over 40 bicycles donated by Bank of the West. Assembly requirements are minor in nature... even children can do it!

The bicycles will be delivered to children in Texas that need a bright spot in their lives.  Spokes4Hope delivered over100 bicycles to the children in West, TX after the debilitating explosion severely damaged their town. Watch Youtube video
We welcome your participation in this fun event... along with your families and friends!  Festivities will begin at 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm on Tuesday June 25, 2013.  County Western music will be performed to entertain the volunteers along with free hotdogs and hamburgers and all the fixin's.

 Be part of the TEAM that can make a difference in a childs life!

We appreciate your volunteer support.  Please RSVP to Shelley Ruddick 817-310-1909 or by email to sruddick@bnkwest.com or please contact us if you have any questions.

 
 All Things Local ~
Supporting Your Community

Every dollar spent locally has a multiplier effect on your local community.  According to the 3/50 Project, a small business group, $68 dollars of every $100 spent at local businesses return to the community versus $43 at national chains.  Generally, none of what is spent online stays at home, providing no benefit to your community.
 
Go Local

When you spend money at your local community businesses, you generate tax revenue for your city and county.  Furthermore, you support the local business person who puts money into the community through civic activity.  You also help these business people pay back their loans to the local community bank, which make the majority of small business loans and also reinvest in a variety of ways.  Simply put -- the little decisions we all make can amount to a great deal of prosperity in our communities. 
We are proud to be a Community Bank and support the
GO LOCAL CAMPAIGN...  Bank, Shop, Dine locally!
 
.
SBA Preferred Lending at BOW
Lending activity has been strong for the past few months. Bank of the West has topped $17 million, up from $11.5 million this same time last year.  A more stable economy over the past months has given the bank a greater incentive to work hard with small businesses and we hope that the trend will continue into the rest of 2013.  With this positive trend comes a greater optimism among small business owners as well.
Now that tax season has passed for allot of us, let us help with your small business lending needs. Bank of the West is ranked in the top 5 Preferred SBA lenders in the Dallas District. Our motto is how we can say yes instead of how can we say no.
What a great time to look for that expansion or replace rent with the purchase of your own building. If you have questions..SBA logo.we have the answers. We look forward to hearing from you about your lending needs. Contact one of our area lenders today at any of our convenient locations.  

 

  

 

Volunteer Spirit is in the air at
Grapevine's Main Street Days 2013
Main St. Days Grpaevine 2013
Concession Trailer BOW staff &
customer volunteers from
Panda Embroidery.
   Fun, festivities and a wonderful volunteer spirit was brought to the Main St. Days Festival in Grapevine May 13 - 15 with Bank of the West staff, family and
friends in full swing.
The annual festival is one of the many volunteer opportunities for the banks' staff to participate in throughout the year.
Manning both the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce beer booth and the concession trailer, staff, family & friends volunteered their time serving corny dogs, Frito pies, beer & wine to the many thousands of festival visitors.
BOW Beer Booth Volunteers ~ GV Main, GV 121, Irving Blvd, GSB Mortgage & friends
Beer Booth BOW Volunteers from
Grapevine & Irving
"What a great way for our staff to come together in a fun environment. 
Bank of the West was proud to be a small part of such a wonderful event, said BOW Exec. VP and CFO Anita Minor. " Our community bank is full of enthusiastic civic minded staff that understand and are willing to give of their time to the community and for that we are so proud."  
Congratulations to the City of Grapevine and the Convention & Visitors Bureau for another greatly executed festival.
 
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Consumer Tips    The Importance of Using Credit Cards Responsibly
As millions of high school seniors prepare to graduate later this month, it' a natural time for these young adults to look forward to greater independence, responsibility and the realities of adulthood. This is also a natural time for parents to sit down with their   children to talk about the dangers of credit cards and how to use them responsibly.  As part of this  conversation, parents need to educate their children about how credit works and empower them to take an active role in their financial future by using credit responsibly.
Building Credit
There is great credit value in building  a healthy history of credit by responsibly obtaining and managing credit accounts. A good credit history can mean paying less for apartment rent & insurance products, and receiving a lower interest rate on future purchases.Read More
Don't Fall for Gimmicks
Credit card companies love to lure in young customers with t-shirts and other cheap merchandise, especially on college campuses.  However, many of these cards carry annual fees and high-interest rates that can end up costing a great deal more than the "free" item is worth.
Encourage your children to resist the urge to fill out credit applications for freebies, even if they say they will never activate the credit card upon approval.  There are many ways to build credit, and this isn't one of them.
Consider Freezing Your Credit
A useful tool for young people and concerned parents alike is the credit freeze, a service available through credit bureau websites Eperian.com, Tansunion.com and Equifax.com.  Read more
Commit to Actively Monitoring Your Credit Report
Each of the (3) previously mentioned credit reporting agencies allows you to pull your credit report once per year, so ideally you could rotate pulling you credit from one of the bureaus every four months. AnnualCreditReport.com serves as a free gateway that allows you to request your credit report from each bureau ~ there is no need  to visit the bureau websites to make these requests. By checking your credit report several times per year, you can ensure that your timely payments are being recorded accurately and no unauthorized activity has occurred.

 

Mortgages 101
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan. However, the word mortgage alone, in everyday usage, is most often used to mean mortgage loan.

A home buyer or builder can obtain financing (a loan) either to purchase or secure against the property from a financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, either directly or indirectly through intermediaries. Features of mortgage loans such as the size of the loan, maturity of the loan, interest rate, method of paying off the loan, and other characteristics can vary considerably.

In many jurisdictions, though not all, it is normal for home purchases to be funded by a mortgage loan. Few individuals have enough savings or liquid funds to enable them to purchase property outright. In countries where the demand for home ownership is highest, strong domestic markets for mortgages have developed.

Graduated payment mortgage loan have increasing costs over time and are geared to young borrowers who expect wage increases over time. Balloon payment mortgages have only partial amortization, meaning that amount of monthly payments due are calculated (amortized) over a certain term, but the outstanding principal balance is due at some point short of that term, and at the end of the term a balloon payment is due. When interest rates are high relative to the rate on an existing seller's loan, the buyer can consider assuming the seller's mortgage. A wrap around mortgage is a form of seller financing that can make it easier for a seller to sell a property. A biweekly mortgage has payments made every two weeks instead of monthly.
 
GSB Mortgage,  a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West is available to answer your mortgage  questions or if you are ready to purchase they are available to service your needs
Call a representative today at 817-310-1980 or visit their website at www.gsbmtg.com 

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 Quote of the day

 


Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss.

 

Lee Iacocca

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Our Prime Interest is You!      

 

 

Corporate Location

108 West Northwest Hwy

@ Main St

Grapevine, TX 817/310-3555

  
2400 West Irving Blvd.
Irving, TX 214/524-6800
301 North Hwy 156
Ponder, TX 940/479-0073
  
  
2015 East Beltline Rd
Carrollton, TX 214/418-6922
950 North Beltline Rd
Irving, TX 972/986-2222
  
  
4100 William D. Tate Ave
Grapevine, TX 817/399-9400
329 West Main St
Lewisville, TX 972/436-4513
  
  
1630 Hillcrest
Vernon, TX 940/552-9762
Loan Production Office
101 Summit Ave.  Suite 101
Ft. Worth 817/868-5923