Stockman Bank Named One of the World’s Best Four Years Running

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Forbes has just honored Montana’s Stockman Bank as one of the world’s best banks for the fourth straight year.

I spoke with Stockman Bank CEO Bill Coffee about the award this week. He provided a brief history of the homegrown Montana financial institution.

Stockman Bank CEO Bill Coffee on being Honored by Forbes

“Stockman Bank was founded in Miles City in 1953,” began Coffee. “My grandfather was an egg producer in the area and couldn't get an ag (agriculture) loan, and the banks in town, there were two of them, they didn't really do a whole lot of local lending, and my grandfather said it would be a great opportunity to have a bank that focused on the community, and that's what he started.”

Coffee described how Stockman Bank came by its name.

“It didn't have that name in the day,” he said. “It started out as the Miles City Bank originally, and then with all the generic names out there for banks across the nation, he thought that Stockman Bank would set it apart and show the Montana roots.”

Coffee said Stockman Bank was Built on Providing Customer Service

Coffee said the bedrock that Stockman Bank was built upon is personal customer service.

“We know that they have a lot of options out there and that every day we're trying to earn their business and take care of their money the way they would want it taken care of,” he said. “They know that we're in Montana and only Montana. We're not serving multiple states like all of our larger competitors are. So, when they deposit their money in Stockman Bank, it goes to work right back into the local community by providing new home loans for families moving to Missoula, just like they are.”

Coffee said Stockman Bank has combined state-of-the-art technology with personal customer service.

There are three Stockman Bank locations in Missoula

“We’re delivering the latest technology and mobile conveniences backed up by the personal service of local branches,” he said. “That's a major way that we continue to advance and enhance our service every day, hiring the right people and training our people. We spend more money on training and development than we ever have in our company's history, and I think that our customers know that we have a focus on that, and as long as we continue focusing on customer service, I believe that we're going to have the advantage and continue that great tradition that we have.”

The survey focused on trust, terms and conditions, customer service, digital services and financial advice.

There are three Stockman Bank locations in Missoula.