We're celebrating and you're invited!
 
In 1931, Guthrie County State Bank opened as an independent and locally owned bank in Guthrie Center, Iowa. This year, we celebrate 85 years and all that has changed - a second location in Panora, the addition of GCSB Investment Center, Guthrie County Abstract and Lake Panorama Realty, the growing number of employees who serve our customers, the progress and connections made in our community. But one thing hasn't changed - we're still independent and locally owned and we think that's worth celebrating!

We'll have even more reason to celebrate soon because our new location at the corner of Highway 25 and State Street (Highway 44) in Guthrie Center is expected to open for business in late May, pending any construction delays. In the coming months, watch our website for announcements about our grand opening and ongoing anniversary events all around our community!

We appreciate the trust our customers have in us to manage their finances and we will work hard to continue to earn that trust in the next 85 years.  
Guthrie County State Bank Loan Officers Earn Iowa Bankers Association Certification
 
Mark Cates and Matt Pearey of Guthrie County State Bank (GCSB) successfully completed the Iowa Bankers Association (IBA) Consumer Credit School, February 29 - March 4 in Ankeny, Iowa. Both Cates and Pearey joined GCSB in 2015 as part of an expansion of the lending team.
 
Mark Cates 
The school is an intense one-week program sponsored by the IBA. The purpose of the IBA Consumer Credit School is to prepare consumer credit personnel who want to broaden their consumer credit knowledge or who have not been exposed to formal consumer credit education, to serve effectively and profitably as consumer credit officers.  
 
Matt Pearey
Mark Cates works in the GCSB Panora office and brings progressive experience with Wells Fargo Bank, most recently in Wisconsin. He and his family live in Panora and he is a graduate of Simpson College.
 
Matt Pearey is a Guthrie Center native who returned home with experience from Wells Fargo Financial and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. He is a graduate of Buena Vista University and works in the Guthrie Center office.
 
Do You Have A Savings Plan?

Saving money is hard. When you have multiple buckets in which your hard-earned money has to be divided, those choices can be difficult. Paying the household expenses obviously comes first, but what comes next? Deciding how to save and what to save can be complicated and emotional.

If you need help, contact us for guidance. We have a variety of savings plans and we are happy to walk you through scenarios for emergency savings, college planning and retirement. We even have a special savings plan for our young customers, P.A.W.S. (Pennies Are Worth Saving), with incentives for saving and depositing on a regular basis. Click here to find out more or give us a call about starting a savings plan.
Connecting With Our Community
Tiffany Steensen of New Opportunities with Kim Heiland of GCSB

One of our favorite parts of the holidays at Guthrie County State Bank are our traditions of giving. Each year during our Christmas Open House events, we hold drawings for gift cards or prizes purchased from local businesses. Check out the winners from this past year. There's something for every age and we enjoy seeing our customers during the busy holidays!

Another tradition we've developed is donating 10 complete sets of children's winter weather gear - five each to 3C's in Panora and New Horizons in Guthrie Center. Read more about this program. The sets include coats, snowpants, boots, mittens, stocking hats and scarves. We appreciate the cooperation of these two organizations to help us with this project each year.
Meet Austin and Collin - student employees

For many years, students from our communities have been hired to assist during the summer and holidays at Guthrie County State Bank. Our most recent part-time personal bankers are Austin Behrends, son of Dale and Laurie Behrends of Panora, and Collin Stowe, son of Mike and Cara Underwood of Guthrie Center.
 
At the bank their responsibilities include tasks such as answering customer questions, helping at the teller window and drive up, running errands, and sorting money. Both Austin and Collin enjoy the variety of tasks and that each day presents something new. They also agree that their co-workers are very helpful and patient as they are learning new skills.
Austin Behrends
 
Austin is 16 years old and is a junior at Panorama High School. One of the challenges for Austin in his job is learning customers' names and getting to know them personally. He admires how his co-workers seem to know everyone and he aspires to also know everyone that walks through the door. When he is not at school or working at the bank, Austin is doing homework, participating in cross country and golf or watching Iowa State University athletics. He plans to attend college after high school and major in the area of business or economics.
 
Collin Stowe
Collin is 15 years old and is a sophomore at Guthrie Center High School. Collin says his biggest challenge initially was balancing his drawer, but now it's much easier thanks to the help of his co-workers. He participates in football, basketball, track, choir and show choir. After high school, Collin plans to go to college and become an engineer.
 
Both Austin and Collin plan to be back to work this summer at the bank. Stop by and say hello!