LOCATIONS & ATMSCAREERSCUSTOMER SERVICE OPEN AN ACCOUNT LOGIN Personal Business & Ag Home Loans Wealth Management Resources About THE BANKWEST DIFFERENCE Photo courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Tourism What is the BankWest difference? For starters, we grew up here in South Dakota. For more than 130 years, we have earned long-term customer relationships by helping our customers and communities succeed. We pride ourselves in adapting to meet our customers’ changing banking needs — while retaining our hometown values and roots. Whether you prefer banking with your smartphone or you enjoy stopping in for a face-to-face chat, we’re here to help. Convenient Saving you time and money Connected A financial partner for every season Committed Helping you and your community prosper Our Performance Guarantee. Another BankWest difference is that we do more than any other financial institution to provide friendly, error-free service. It’s called our Performance Guarantee. If a BankWest associate or vendor fails to meet our commitment to error-free service, we will apologize and correct the problem immediately. We also will give you a $5 Performance Guarantee payment for bringing it to our attention. Rest assured that if you ever have a problem, we will make it right. LET US KNOW OUR STORY 1889 WE OPENED OUR DOORS Pierre National Bank (now BankWest) opened its doors on September 2, 1889. The bank’s first customer was Charles H. Burke of the real estate firm Baird, Burke and Brown. The Burke name would become synonymous with Pierre National Bank and BankWest all the way to the present day. The bank’s first home was at the Locke Hotel. A brand new bank building was constructed at 358 S. Pierre Street (now Song’s Gift Shop) at a cost of $7,880. This served as the bank’s permanent home until 1957. 1915 FIVE GENERATIONS OF LEADERSHIP BEGIN From Charles H. Burke’s initial association with the bank in 1889, a longtime bond between the Burke family and the bank was forged. Charles H. Burke became a bank director in 1915 and served as a vice president from 1930-1944. Charles’ son, Walter, began working at the bank in 1920. He was elected president in 1949, and became Chairman of the Board in 1968. Walter’s son, Charles II, became a vice president at the bank in 1957. He went on to serve a 15-year term as bank president before becoming Chairman of the Board, a post he held until his death in 2009. Today, BankWest is a thriving community bank under the management of Charles II’s son, Charles H. Burke III. “C3,” as he’s known to friends and coworkers, returned to the bank full time in 1982. He served as president of BankWest’s Pierre offices from 1987 to 1991. In 1992, he became President and CEO of the entire company and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board in 2009. A fifth generation of the Burke family is actively involved in carrying the bank forward. BankWest’s VP Branch Administration Bob Burke and VP Strategic Initiatives Becky Burke look forward to continuing the Burke family’s longstanding commitment to excellence in community banking. 1930 SURVIVING THE GREAT DEPRESSION Few areas suffered to the extent South Dakota did during the Great Depression. Following World War I, prices on farm products declined and land values followed suit. Then came the infamous Dirty 30s and the Great Depression when many banks across the nation failed. Thanks to the conservative practices of Pierre National Bank’s leaders, the bank survived through the tough times and even continued to grow. BankWest continues to stand the test of time through a combination of conservative management and forward thinking. 1973 ENTERING THE COMPUTER AGE The bank’s first computer, an IBM 360-30, took up most of an entire room. Its purpose was to automate the process of monitoring and managing checking accounts. Customers were issued new checking account numbers and checks encoded with magnetic ink, and gone were the days when bank employees had to hand post every item on customers’ accounts. 1980 CALL US BANKWEST Through the late 70s and early 80s, Pierre National Bank acquired a number of banks in communities throughout central South Dakota. These acquisitions led to a milestone in the bank’s history — the adoption of a new name, BankWest. 1997 HIGH TECH, HIGH TOUCH Always with an eye to providing the best service possible to customers, BankWest management got on board the World Wide Web in 1997. Before long, the bank was offering online banking services, soon to be followed by mobile banking, remote deposit and more! 2020 STILL GROWING STRONG BankWest celebrated its 125th birthday in 2014, and kept right on growing. In 2016, the bank extended its footprint to southeastern South Dakota with the addition of four more branches. Much more than a bank, the company offers full-service insurance, brokerage and trust services, as well as abstract, title and appraisal services. Experience the BankWest Difference GET STARTED Contact Us » Find a Location or ATM Online Banking User ID New User - Personal Forgot Password Help Center Routing Number 091400538 Connect on Social BankWest on Facebook BankWest on YouTube BankWest on Linkedin BankWest on Instagram Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC Send Secure File Careers Disclosures Security Privacy Policy Internet Privacy Policy Terms of Use News & Alerts Vendor Diversity Site Map Search Our Site © 2021 BankWest All rights reserved.