High Plains Bank has purchased a building on Main Street in Longmont and announced new executives in its leadership team.
The community bank acquired the 5,800-square-foot building at 385 Main Street for $2.07 million on Dec. 1, said John Creighton, the bank’s CEO.
“We have needed office space for several years — we actually identified the need for office space in 2019,” he said.
After the bank couldn’t find a suitable building, its executive team decided to build its own space, but then construction costs soared, Creighton explained.
“We renewed the search for office space, and 385 came up during that time period, so we’re excited to be able to acquire that and be downtown,” he said.
The bank expects to remodel the building and move in by the end of 2023.
Two businesses currently occupy the space — the Chinese Medicine Clinic and Chamberlain Gold and Silver Exchange.
“Chamberlain coins will remain as a tenant of the building for at least another two years, and then the Chinese Medicine Clinic is planning to be there at least through the end of February, Creighton said.
Creighton’s family owns half of High Plains Bank, and the rest is owned by employees — who are offered stock ownership — and community investors, he explained.
The bank, which was founded in 1908, has been a part of Creighton’s family in Colorado for more than a century. His grandfather began working for the bank in Flagler in 1920, and then in the 1960s, he acquired the bank.
Over the past two decades, the bank expanded to Bennett, Wiggins, Keenesburg and then Longmont in 2013. The Kimbark Street branch began with five employees, and has since expanded with a second branch in Northwest Longmont and more than 30 full-time employees in the city.
The bank added a new Trust, Estate and Investments department this year and announced the construction of a new branch in Wiggins, which is open, and a branch in Keenesburg, which is expected to be complete in early 2023.
Chris McVay, who has served as the bank’s Longmont market president since 2013, has been appointed as the new chief development officer.
“Chris McVay really has been the catalyst of our success in Longmont, and we do have just a fantastic team in Longmont as well,” Creighton said. “But Chris’ gift is building relationships that can help the bank grow, and so Chris is going to be working with all five of our markets now instead of just with Longmont.”
McVay serves as treasurer for the Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley and as a Left Hand Brewing Foundation board member. He has previously served as president of the Longmont Rotary Club, chair of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee and as a member of the Pearl Group and the Metro North Chamber of Commerce.
Narciso Garibay was hired to take over McVay’s previous position as Longmont market president. He has more than 17 years of commercial banking experience in Boulder County, Creighton said.
“We also really aspire to serve those portions of our community that identify as Hispanic and Latino more effectively, and Narciso will help us to develop a business plan to be able to do that as well,” Creighton explained.
Jane Cox will lead the bank’s new Trust, Estate and Investment Services department. Cox has more than three decades of experience in trust and wealth management in the Longmont area, Creighton said.
“Jane is a part of Longmont — she is an integral part of this community,” he explained. “The opportunity to have her join our team is just amazing.”
Editor's note: a previous version of this article stated the new building was 835 Main St; that has been corrected to 385 Main St; the previous version also said Creighton's grandfather started working in Flagstaff -- that has been corrected to Flagler.
