During a Jan. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony, The Farmers Bank celebrated the one month anniversary of its Westfield Financial Center and announced an endowment scholarship through the Westfield Education Foundation.
The endowment will support graduating Westfield High School seniors who plan to pursue business or accounting degrees. According to The Farmers Bank, it is the first financial institution to offer such an endowment through the WEF. The first $1,000 scholarship is set to be awarded at the WHS senior night ceremony in May. Applications will be available soon through the WEF.
“Westfield and The Farmers Bank have a lot in common,” The Farmers Bank CEO and Westfield resident Chris Cook said. “We are both very proud of our heritage, and we are very excited about where we can go in the future under our current leadership. The other common thing I see with Westfield is that we are both community minded.”
“We’ve needed this on the west side of our city,” Mayor Scott Willis said in his first official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In the spring, the financial center plans to host local school field trips, inviting students and faculty to visit and learn about the cutting-edge, solar-powered Smartflower outside the southeast corner of the facility. The first of its kind in Indiana, the sculptural flower is made up of solar panels which open and close to clean themselves for maximum efficiency.
“The Smartflower generates enough power to run internal operations here,” Cook said.
In addition to offering educational opportunities, Westfield Financial Center Director Steve Latour spoke of other ways The Farmers Bank is becoming engaged in the community. The bank is the title sponsor for the upcoming Westfield Lantern Award Ceremony hosted by the Westfield Chamber of Commerce and the 2024 Westfield Winter Market. The market takes place each Saturday through March from 9 a.m. to noon at West Fork Whiskey at 10 E. 191st St.
“I feel like there is no better place in the entire state to be than in Westfield right now for The Farmers Bank,” LaTour said. “It is a great opportunity for me, after several years with the chamber, to step over to this side of things to grow and promote business in the community.”
The Farmers Bank Westfield Financial Center is at 360 Tricia Lane and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays. The drive-up ATM is available 24/7. For more, visit thefarmersbank.com/locate-contact/westfield or email Latour at [email protected].
