St. George, UT – State Bank of Southern Utah celebrated their new Washington Field Branch with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on Monday, June 17th, from 9:00 am – 10:30 am.
The festivities kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony where attendees heard from Eric Schmutz, the President and CEO of State Bank of Southern Utah, Annie Howell, the CFO of Watts Construction, and Scott Gilberg, a Principal Officer and Architect of Desert Edge Architecture. They highlighted the great collaboration it took to complete this project, and how this new branch will serve the rapidly growing area.
Schmutz said, “I want to express our optimism for growth here in Washington County. We’ve been here a long time. [We are] the only locally owned and headquartered bank in Southern Utah and it’s in our name. We’re proud to be here and we look forward to serving Washington County for decades to come. And this is a great anchor place to add to the offices we have.”
The new branch is 12,775 square feet with two floors of individual offices, open office space, teller counters, a conference room, a break room, a banking cafe, and a four-lane drive-through. The design is unique, with eleven separate roofs and an exterior façade of brick, stucco, and glass.
Schmutz commented on how the design of this branch was distinctive from other State Bank buildings and how Desert Edge worked with them to design something creative.
The architect, Scott Gilberg, said, “I’m hoping that the construction, the design that you see here behind me today, is a very strong reflection of the strong commitment that Eric [Schmutz] and his team at State Bank had to really do this project right.”
The construction of the building was completed by local contractor Watts Construction. Howell mentioned the teamwork that it took with the architect and owner to execute the more technical aspects of the project.
“I’d like to give a big thanks to State Bank for trusting in Watts to build your beautiful new branch, that your employees will call home,” said Watts CFO, Annie Howell. “And also, for investing in our local businesses through their banking needs, which in turn builds our community.”
Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees enjoyed refreshments, prizes, and a tour of the new building.
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About Watts Construction
Watts Construction is a local commercial general contractor. They were founded in 1968 and have been located in St. George, Utah, since 1984. Watts provides construction management services starting at any point in the development process. They build commercial, hospitality, civic, senior living, and industrial projects. They are a key player in Southern Utah, having built many flagship structures in the community, including the Zion Factory Stores, Washington City Recreation Center, and the new Washington County Administration Building.
About State Bank of Southern Utah
State Bank of Southern Utah was founded in 1957 by community leaders who saw a need for a bank to service their local financial needs. The ability to make local decisions on loans and financial services has always been at the center of the bank’s culture and business model. State Bank has 17 branches throughout Southern Utah.
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