RiverBank is an independent community bank located in Spokane, Washington.

You could say we’ve returned to our roots. Roughly four decades ago, RiverBank President and CEO Duane Brandenburg started his career at Farmers & Merchants Bank right here in Spokane. While there, he hired future RiverBank co-founder Steve Utt, and the two received a valuable education in community banking that would shape the relationship-driven philosophy they share to this day.

The close family structure and culture at F&M instilled in Duane and Steve the importance of strong values, consistent quality, highly trained staff and, above all, personal relationships. It was an environment in which becoming close friends with your customers was the norm, and where the definition of service extended well beyond the bank’s walls.

After many years witnessing the benefits and rewards of high touch community banking, Duane left Farmers & Merchants bank to pursue an opportunity as bank president with a larger corporate bank. He brought Steve with him and later hired Dean Bellamy, a talented Commercial Lending professional.

However, it wasn’t long before all three became disillusioned with the impersonal, volume-oriented world of corporate banking—a trend that appeared to be sweeping the entire industry. Community banks that hadn’t been swallowed up by larger ones were changing their ways to stay competitive.

Alarmed by the growing gap between banks and their customers, Duane, Steve and Dean decided to take action, inspired by a common understanding of how people want and deserve to be treated.

So in the summer of 2005, the trio left their positions to start RiverBank. Apparently, they were not alone in their desire to see a true community business bank in Spokane. Clients, colleagues and private investors came out of the woodwork to be a part of this new bank with an outspoken commitment to timeless values bolstered by high tech services.

After receiving state and FDIC approval, RiverBank opened for business in May 2006 and quickly became the fastest growing de novo bank in the entire state. Our real measure of success, however, is the extent to which we can grow each individual relationship. Today, RiverBank is a family of highly skilled professionals who are passionate about community business banking.