They’ll cut a ribbon and make some speeches Friday at the new St. Joseph Banking Center of Sturgis Bank at the corner of Main and Broad Streets. But for Bob Burch, Berrien County Community President of the bank, it will be just the latest chapter in a 43-year career as a ‘Community Banker.’
Burch joined Sturgis Bank last year after a long career with another bank that began as Inter-City Bank, became Shoreline, then Chemical, then TCF and soon will be called Huntington. Burch says it was a good run, but he jumped at the chance to join Sturgis Bank, because he could be what he always wanted to be–and has been for decades–a local community banker.
“Local control is the driving force that brought me here,” says Burch about his move across the street to his new office at 320 Main Street. That ‘Window on Main Street’ and the big new sign outside are symbolic for Burch.
“It says St. Joseph Banking Center because we can make the decisions in St. Joseph,” he says. “Individuals and business owners like to know their bankers and have their bankers know their name. I believe we are built to give superior service and I know we care more than some of our competitors.”
Burch acknowledges that when it comes to products and services, there may not be a lot of difference in banks these days. “People and relationships are the difference-makers,” he says. “We can solve problems and make decisions easier than the big guys. Here, you can actually find the decision-maker and talk to him or her.”
Burch is feeling pretty good about the first eight months of 2021. He says the bank’s initial Berrien County business projections for their first five years have already been surpassed. He credits his small but mostly experienced team as well as some competitor’s moves in the local banking sector that have had spin-off benefits to Sturgis Bank. He points to a couple of other banks’ offices closed in the region and hints that Sturgis Bank is not finished growing.
The finishing touches are being put on the consumer-focused full service banking center, including a drive-thru at Hilltop and Cleveland in St. Joseph. That office will have it’s own Ribbon Cutting ceremony with the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce in September. Currently there are 14 Sturgis Bank branches in 11 Southwest Michigan cities from St. Joseph to Bronson, east of Sturgis. The bank is 116 years old, having been founded in 1905.
Burch focuses on commercial banking–dealing with business owners–as he has for much of his career. But he points out that Sturgis Bank is making a significant push to grow its mortgage business in the Berrien County market. That effort is spear-headed by Vice President Larry Morrow and Mortgage Originator Cindy Stovern. Recently, the bank added a mortgage originator specializing in low and moderate income housing in the Benton Harbor area, Olivia Nichols.
As he looks out his ‘Window on Main Street’, Burch enjoys telling a story about his personal connection to the building. His new office was formerly occupied by Burch’s father-in-law, retired St. Joseph lawyer Gary Hosbein, whose law offices were in the space for decades. Burch says St. Joseph Banking Center has promised Hosbein they will continue the long-standing Holiday tradition of lighting the building like a ‘gingerbread house’ at the busy downtown crossroads. He says it just seemed like the tradition was right for St. Joe. Something else the ‘big guys’ in banking probably wouldn’t be doing!
