Bank of the West Branch Joins the Castro Community

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West is pleased to announce the opening of its new Castro branch located at 2299 Market Street.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120418/MM90603LOGO)

"The Castro is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco and we're excited to be in this terrific location," said Shane Glacken, branch manager at Bank of the West. "Bank of the West has been serving California since 1874 and since our earliest days as a community bank, we've been committed to our relationships, exceptional customer service and being a good corporate neighbor. Our team is looking forward to supporting the people and business owners who have built the Castro into one of the best places to live and work in the City."

The Bank of the West Castro branch kicked off its local community involvement by sponsoring the 10^th annual San Francisco LGBT Center's Economic Empowerment Week and participating in several of the week's events, including the career fair, financial coaching for seniors, and class on managing credit and debt.  The bank has been a long-time supporter of community and economic development, particularly in the areas of small business, microenterprise and job training. Over the past three years in California, the bank has originated $1.7 billion in community development loans and provided 14,000 loans to small business entrepreneurs.

"I'm very proud to be associated with an organization that not only gives back to its communities, but takes a long-term approach to building relationships with both our customers and the communities in which we serve," said Glacken. "The Castro is a great fit for us. In just the few weeks since we've opened, we've had a warm welcome from the merchants association and from our neighborhood customers who've given positive feedback on our branch design updates."

The Castro branch opened on September 23 and is one of the new Bank of the West locations that includes contemporary banking features such as iPads and a quick response (QR) bar, where customers can conduct some self-service transactions and also learn about products and services. Open conference spaces and consulting areas have replaced the traditional teller line, so that bankers and customers can engage in more conversational interactions. Even in the tech-savvy Bay Area, the bank estimates that approximately 80 percent of new customers still prefer to meet face-to-face with their bankers to open accounts or to discuss home mortgages, small business needs or personal wealth management.

Shane Glacken, vice president and Castro branch manager, joined Bank of the West earlier this year. In his role, he is responsible for the overall operations and administration of the branch, as well as community engagement. Glacken has over seven years of experience in the financial services industry, with expertise in personal banking and team management. Glacken currently resides in the Castro and is on the board of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. 

The Castro branch is one of four new Bay Area locations for San Francisco-based Bank of the West. New branches recently opened in Mill Valley, San Francisco's TransBay neighborhood and Redwood City. There are 244 Bank of the West locations in California.

About Bank of the West

Founded in 1874, $64 billion-asset Bank of the West (www.bankofthewest.com), member FDIC and equal housing lender, offers a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services. The bank operates more than 600 retail and commercial banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees.

Media contact:
Lily Ruiz, Corporate Communications
[email protected]
415-765-4850

SOURCE Bank of the West