Collegiate Peaks Bank Maintains its Role as Title Sponsor of Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation

Colorado-based Collegiate Peaks Bank, a division of Glacier Bancorp, is pleased to announce that it is the title sponsor for the Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) for a second straight year.  Working in partnership with Collegiate Peaks Bank, the CCEDC (www.chaffeecountyedc.com) promotes job creation and economic development in rural communities and has already established a strong presence in Chaffee County.

“Collegiate Peaks Bank strives to find innovative ways to help businesses and communities realize growth, profitability, and sustainability and our partnership with the CCEDC is another example of the many ways we make lasting positive impacts,” said Joe Smith, Mountain Regional President of Collegiate Peaks Bank.  “It’s critical for rural communities like Chaffee County to continue to find ways to achieve year-round, dynamic, and sustainable economies. The CCEDC is discovering ways to attract entrepreneurial minds and start-up businesses to places like Chaffee County and also find the investors necessary to help them thrive.”

Some of the focal points of the CCEDC include:

• Remote work as a new "growth industry" for rural America
• Entrepreneurship as a rural economic diversification strategy away from reliance on tourism
• Once in a generation opportunity for “Brain Gain” in rural communities, enabled by the Covid pandemic
• "Driven By Nature” - Creating economic opportunity by leveraging senses of place in mountain towns
• Sustainable mountain economies - The intersection of housing, workforce, and career opportunities (increased AMI = affordability)
• Impact entrepreneurship - Leveraging private sector company growth to address community challenges like sustainability, job creation, etc.
• Leveraging local investors to support local economic growth and career advancement
• A desire to create a model to guide or inspire other rural communities

In addition to the partnership with CCEDC, Collegiate Peaks Bank provides a suite of services to help businesses succeed even during the most challenging economic times.  Some of these services include:

• Payables and Receivables Management
• Liquidity Management
• Information Management
• Risk Management
• Business Loans

In recent months, Collegiate Peaks Bank’s parent company, Glacier Bank, was ranked eighth on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Banks for 2022.  Forbes’ 13th annual look at America’s Best Banks ranks the 100 largest publicly traded banks and thrifts based on their growth, credit quality and profitability (information regarding the rankings and methodology is available at forbes.com).