Convenient. Connected. Committed. These three simple words are the cornerstone of BankWest Insurance’s dynamic legacy. They are a promise initiated more than 130 years ago when the organization first opened its doors as Pierre National Bank. Today, the “Three Cs” are still influencing the full-service financial institution known as BankWest.

Brian Graves, vice president and insurance division manager at BankWest, said they offer cutting-edge banking technology, insurance, brokerage and trust services along with abstract and title services.

This holistic approach to providing financial services resulted in BankWest’s remarkable growth. “There are 17 different locations across the state of South Dakota,” Graves said. “It absolutely helps us cover the whole state. While we're only in South Dakota, we are spread out throughout the entire state, from the eastern most location in Salem, to the farthest west in Spearfish.”

Even though their offerings and footprint have increased dramatically, BankWest remains committed to providing convenient services in each community they serve.

“Our employees have a passion for helping people. They have to have that passion because being in small towns, it might be their neighbor that they're helping, it might be a family member or it might be their child's teacher—every employee has that passion to help people,” Graves said.

The service of a dedicated professional is something Graves values in Columbia Insurance Group as well. “You can call your underwriter and talk about an exposure and let them know what is going on,” Graves said. “Especially today, there are so many types of businesses doing different things and evolving. Being able to call an underwriter and answer their questions is huge. It's not something you can always grasp from a form.”

Shane Martinez, regional vice president at Columbia, agreed, adding that putting people first is something BankWest and Columbia share.

“When you build a company that prioritizes connecting with people, your customers and partners can feel it. That is why we enjoy working with BankWest and see such great opportunities for them ahead.”

Graves said he is excited about increased collaborations as both organizations grow their focus on commercial insurance. “Columbia is a top carrier for us and in commercial. We are actively making a push to increase commercial as we speak.”

Columbia’s technology upgrades on the horizon are also something to look forward to, according to Graves. “We're associated with a bank, so we embrace technology because the bank has always strived to be on the forefront,” Graves said. “Our Mitchell location is newer, and we were the first bank in Mitchell, and one of the first in South Dakota, to have an interactive teller machine. We call it ‘Bob.’ It's kind of like FaceTime and is a full-service option with a virtual teller asking, ‘What can I do for you today.’”

Even BankWest’s technology puts service front and center, which is why Martinez said he is looking forward to how this agency partnership flourishes after Columbia adds new capabilities. “I cannot wait to see the ways our partnership will grow, when you pair BankWest’s convenient, connected and committed service with our new robust technology,” Martinez said.