Our story. And yours. - American Bank Center

2015
COMMUNITY REPORT
Our story. And yours.
Our way of life
Grounded in the Midwest, we are an employee-owned
financial institution with community at the heart of
everything we do. We embrace the unique story each
customer brings, and work together with them to find
the right solution for their individual needs.
American offers a young couple the opportunity to buy a
home where they can raise a family; protects the family,
their home and possessions from life’s uncertanties; and
provides them with the peace-of-mind that they’ll be
able to retire comfortably.
We offer entrepreneurs the chance to take the leap and
follow their dreams; business products and services
to aid in the day-to-day operations; and financing for
expansion and growth in their communities.
American supports its employees with a family-first
philosophy; cares about the interests and success of
each customer; and contributes substantially to the
communities it serves, both financially and through
volunteer outreach.
Our commitment, our creed, and our pledge to the
places we live and the people we serve: Right here.
Right for you.
Letter to our communities
We are proud to continue to serve you, and we thank
you for your continued trust in us as a core pillar in your
community. The American family of companies has a
proud history of serving communities in North Dakota
and Montana. Our roots trace back to small banks,
many in rural markets. These banks were all founded
on the principle of supporting the economic growth
and well being of their communities. We believe in this,
and it continues to this day. We know and understand
that our strength, and the strength and vitality of our
communities are closely linked. Our commitment to our
community is through good times and difficult times.
Our brand statement, “Right Here. Right for You.”, is
more than just a saying for us. It represents who we are.
Our operations are all housed within our communities.
The deposits which you entrust to us are reinvested
with businesses and individuals in our communites. Our
company is owned by our employees and directors, who
are engaged in our communities and stand ready to
serve you each day.
American believes strongly in stewardship. In 2015,
we contributed over $870,000 to worthy causes
that improve the quality of life for everyone in our
communities. We believe that it is a duty and a privilege
to be a steward. We also encourage our employees to
get engaged in their communities through volunteerism.
We believe that this defines who we are.
web and mobile offerings in 2016, and are confident
that you will appreciate the functionality and practicality
of these online services when they are deployed. Despite
ever evolving technology, we remain committed to
branches as a primary method to deliver financial
services, and will be embarking on a multi-year plan to
upgrade our branches and your branch experience.
2015 was an exciting year for American. We continued to
grow through the opening of our Mandan Branch, which
represented a significant investment in the ongoing
revitalization of downtown Mandan, and with the
acquisition of United Community Bank of North Dakota.
We expanded our service offerings in Underwood and
McClusky by merging North Country Bank into American
Bank Center. We developed new systems and services in
Insurance and Trust in order to provide our customers a
more complete product offering. American understands
that we are in a time of change in our industry. In order
to continue to provide you quality service, we must
invest in the technology to do so. We made a significant
investment in 2015 to prepare for the launching of new
Looking forward to 2016, it is clear that our customers
and communities may experience more challenging
economic times. We have been through this before, and
we stand ready to serve you and to assist our customers
in navigating through challenging waters. We know
and believe in the resilience and character of our fellow
North Dakota and Montana citizens, and we trust in our
collective ability to make it through any adversity that
may come our way. We believe strongly in our bright
future beyond this temporary period of challenge.
We thank you for making our communities a great place
to work and live. We look forward to seeing you and
working with you in 2016.
David Ehlis
President/CEO
Our story
The American story begins with small, independent
banks throughout the Midwest, considered pillars in the
communities they served. These community banks now
make up American as we know it today, each with their
own unique history.
American State Bank & Trust
This story begins in 1909 with Citizens State Bank of
Belfield. In 1930, Citizens Bank took over the deposit
liabilities of First State Bank of Fryburg, a small town
just west of Dickinson on I-94. Four years later, came
a corporate name and headquarters change from
Citizens State Bank of Belfield to Citizens State Bank of
New England. In 1936, Bank of Killdeer received their
charter, and it wasn’t until 1964 when American State
Bank of Dickinson received theirs. In 1987, American
State Bank obtained a certificate of merger to form
American State Bank and Trust, where they officially
held offices in Dickinson, New England and Killdeer.
Bank Center First
Bank Center First began operations as Bismarck State
Bank in December of 1977, when a group of local
business leaders decided to charter a locally-owned
community bank. The newly founded bank operated out
of a mobile home until its building was constructed in
north Bismarck the following year. The bank announced
their name change to Bank Center One in 1991, shortly
after moving their headquarters to downtown Bismarck.
Two years later, they underwent another name change
to Bank Center First. With the continued success of the
bank, they were able to expand to four locations within
the Bismarck community.
American Bank Center was created through a merge
between American State Bank and Bank Center First in
April of 2009.
Scandia Bank
Scandia Bank was first chartered in Palermo, ND in
1910. In 1933, the bank moved to Stanley, a community
which had been without a bank for quite some time.
This may have been the defining moment in the bank’s
history, as it was the only bank in the county to survive
the Great Depression without closing or merging with
another bank. Scandia Bank celebrated their Centennial
in 2010, and acquired CountryBank that year, expanding
to Cando and Devils Lake. CountryBank continued to
do business under that name until they both joined the
American family in October of 2011.
First Community Bank of Glendive
First Community Bank was established only recently,
in 1979, by a group of community members. Originally
chartered as First Fidelity Bank, the bank was purchased
in 1993 and renamed First Community Bank of Glendive
the following year. The name change came from a
promise to past, current and future customers to always
put the community first. In an exciting new chapter
in American Bank Center’s history, we expanded to
Montana with the purchase of First Community Bank of
Glendive in 2013.
North Country Bank
North Country Bank was formed in 1931 through the
merge of Sheridan County State Bank located in
Underwood, and First National Bank of McClusky. J.E.
Davis became president of the newly erected bank. His
interest in banking, however, began years earlier when
he offered homesteaders “operating loans” along with
two bred cows. At calving time, Davis would acquire one
of the calves, to add to his own herd, and the borrower
would keep the other to continue the herd. The mere
$25,000 in assets in 1907 would grow to $3 million by
1966 and increased to $60 million when North Country
Bank merged with American Bank Center in April, 2015.
United Community Bank of North Dakota
In 1912, Farmers State Bank of Leeds purchased First
National Bank of Drake, together becoming United
Community Bank. They later established branches in
Burlington and Minot. United Community Bank continues
to operate under an independent charter, serving
Burlington, Drake, Leeds and Minot.
Today, the American family of companies employs
over 400 individuals within 22 locations and holds $1.66
billion in assets. Despite our exponential growth, we
continue to operate as our founding banks did – we
are simply a hometown bank with the success of our
customers and the communities we serve at the heart of
everything we do.
Longfellow Elementary
Minot, ND
This year will mark five years since the devastating
flood of 2011. American was proud to support the
Minot Area Community Foundation’s Flood Recovery
Fund with a $100,000 donation. Today, students enjoy
the play structure outside Longfellow Elementary
which was constructed with flood fund dollars.
Commitment to our communities
We hold ourselves to a high standard of involvement
in our communities. We illustrate this commitment
through financial contributions to community initiatives
like the Housing Incentive Fund, which will allow for
more affordable low-income and elderly housing
developments in places like Dickinson and Minot; or
through our involvement in local fundraising events
like the St. Gabriel’s Dualathon held in Bismarck every
summer. Often times, it is by simply being an active
member of the community and participating in the local
rodeo or homecoming parade.
Our commitment goes beyond dollars and cents. We
recognize the value of service and understand our time
can be worth more than any monetary sum one could
ever give. We encourage our employees to volunteer for
projects or causes they are passionate about, through
opportunities like Rebuilding Together, local United Way
campaigns, or speaking to high school and college
students about the importance of good credit and
being financially savvy as they encounter real world
problems. Through employee involvement, we are able
to see the needs of our communities, work to find a
solution, and help to bridge that gap.
The community of Stanley has seen an increase in
population in recent years. With this rise in activity,
came an increased need for quality healthcare.
Mountrail County Medical Center (MCMC) was
in desperate need of an expanded and updated
facility. Our $250,000 pledge was put toward a new
emergency room and an enclosed ambulance bay.
With the new facility, MCMC is able to accommodate
more patients than ever before.
Abbey Ruland, P.A.
Mountrail County Medical Center, Stanley
With only one indoor ice rink in Dickinson, ice time
became a luxury. Hockey teams divided their time on
the ice early in the morning and late into the evening in
order to accommodate everyone. Seeing this was not a
sustainable plan, American Bank Center pledged $50,000
to the Dickinson Parks and Recreation Department
(DPRD) for a much needed expansion. The new West
River Ice Center holds two rinks with seating for 1,000,
more than tripling the capacity of the old rink. During the
off-season, the facility is used to host various events and
tradeshows.
In addition to the new ice rink in the West River Ice
Center, a major renovation to the Dickinson West River
Community Center (WRCC) was completed. Due to a
drastic increase in membership, coupled with the closing
of Whitney Pool, Dickinson’s only outdoor pool, it became
obvious additional space and a new swimming facility
was necessary. We were happy to pledge an additional
$100,000 to the outdoor pool and WRCC expansion
project. The state-of-the-art community center now
boasts an indoor and outdoor water park, four full-size
basketball courts, three group fitness studios, two floors
of cardio and strength equipment, a climbing wall and an
expanded indoor walking/jogging track.
It is because of the support of our loyal customers, that we
are able to prosper. We, in turn, do our best to give back,
make an impact, and change the lives of our neighbors
for the better.
A partner in our customer’s lives
There is a saying that goes “the only constant thing in
life is change”. American has the professional expertise
to guide you as you prepare for change, and help you
navigate through the unexpected.
With our business bankers ready to assist you with your
next big endeavor or expansion, our insurance agents
here to help you secure your assets, and our trust and
investment professionals prepared to help you invest
wisely in your future, we are able to be your full-service
financial institution of choice. We have everything you
need to secure your business under one roof. We want to
form a relationship with our customers that will allow us
to make a real difference, not only in the success of their
business, but in their lives as well.
purchase a milling unit. This milling unit allows them
to make a crown on-site, cutting wait time down from
days to about an hour. Being able to provide this service
to their customers means they can make their practice
more efficient and their customer’s lives easier.
In Minot, Base Utilities was the first to privatize utility
services on a military base. Owner, Russ Gohl, has been
contracting business with the Air Force Base in Minot for
30 years and recently earned a 50 year contract with
To aid in the success of your business, we have an
Electronic Banking Department entirely committed to
finding the best way to serve you. They work to find
the solution which allows you to accept payments
virtually any way you’d like. Whether through credit card
processing, reoccurring debits and credits, or one-time
payments via debit/credit cards and checking and
savings accounts. We also have solutions to take the
stress out of payroll processing. Being able to simplify
your day to day business routine is our objective. We
want to take care of you start to finish; day in and day
out.
At Prairie Rose Family Dentistry, they saw their patients
waiting days for their crowns to be made and sent
back to the practice, requiring the booking of follow
up appointments to have the crown installed. With
American Bank Center’s help, they were able to
Wayne Martinson
Bismarck
The Lewton Family
Dickinson
Dr. Chris Spies, DDS, Dr. Leslie Hollevoet, DDS,
Dr. William Quinn, DDS, Dr. Casey Carlson, DDS
Prairie Rose Dentistry, Bismarck
the base, privatizing water and sewer services. “It might
be easier to show you what I haven’t done,” Russ said as
he reflects back on all the work he’s completed in the
last 30 years. “If people are able to flush their toilets and
go to the faucet for some water, it means I’m doing my
job,” he says with a smile. Base Utilities uses American
Bank Center’s Cash Management to manage loan and
deposit accounts, as well as direct deposit for payroll.
Russ Gohl
Base Utilites, Minot
Our customers each come with a unique story and
passion for what they do, which drives us to provide
world-class service and go above and beyond to ensure
they get what they need to accomplish their goals.
As a community bank, it is our objective to help each
customer succeed, and in turn, to ensure the success of
the communties we serve.
Christian Kostelecky
Sax Motors, Dickinson
Our expanding footprint
2015 proved to be an unprecedented year for growth
within the American family of companies.
location to visit. We’ve also enjoyed the great view of the
notable 4th of July parade.
Our much-anticipated Mandan branch opened in
January of 2015. Crossing the river came with the
unique opportunity to be a part of the revitalization
of downtown Mandan, through the renovation of the
vacant Iverson Building on Main Street. The historic
building was built in 1907 and was originally used
as a food warehouse. In keeping with the buildings
rich history, many original features remain, including
exposed brick walls, stately pillars, and a scale once
used to weigh cattle before being shipped on the
railroad.
Soon after the doors in Mandan opened, came the
purchase of United Community Bank of North Dakota.
With locations in Minot, Burlington, Drake and Leeds, the
acquisition leaves American with an impressive footprint
in North Dakota and Eastern Montana.
We are thrilled to officially be a part of the community
and provide our Mandan customers with a convenient
We were later welcomed into the communities of
Underwood and McClusky with the addition of North
Country Bank. The bank was purchased in 2012 and
officially merged with American Bank Center in April
of 2015. We look forward to continuing the tradition
of exceptional service along with the community focus
North Country Bank was founded on.
Year-end balance sheet
- December 31, 2015 -
As of Dec-15
(thousands)
Total Cash & Due
Total Investments
Net Loans
Fixed Assets
Total Other Assets
As of Dec-14
(thousands)
30,985
474,287
1,066,433
35,343
53,945
36,437
483,028
723,250
29,231
25,679
Total Assets
1,660,993
1,297,625
Deposits
Total Other Liabilities
1,411,275
103,689
1,118,148
78,270
1,514,964
1,196,418
11,500
134,529
11,500
89,707
1,660,993
1,297,625
Total Liabilities
Trust Preferred Securities
Equity Capital
Total Liabilities & Equity
Bismarck-Mandan
Glendive, MT
Downtown
320 N 4th St
401 N 4th St
319 N Merrill Ave
North
1101 E Interstate Ave
Dan’s Supermarket
1190 W Turnpike Ave
Washington Center
325 W Arbor Ave
Mandan
101 E Main St
Cando
505 4th St
Devils Lake
604 College Dr S
Dickinson
Downtown
140 1st Ave W
North
1151 3rd Ave W
Killdeer
Roundup Mall, 150 Central Ave
McClusky
217 Main St
Minot
2201 15th St SW
New England
6 E 9th St
Stanley
15 S Main St
Underwood
308 Lincoln Ave
Watford City
137 North Main
Right here. Right for you.
weareamerican.com
American Bank Center is a Member FDIC
and Equal Housing Lender.