General Info:
Independence Bank will excel as a locally owned Bank with its primary focus on developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with agriculture, commercial, professional and consumer clients. We will achieve success through our consistent commitment to our communities and our customers. We will be recognized for: Independence Bank was founded in 1972 by a group of Havre area business people who saw the need for a locally owned financial institution. The Bank was originally chartered as First Security Bank of Havre and had approximately 230 local area shareholders. The Bank opened for business at its present 5th Avenue Havre location in March 1973. From the start, Independence Bank has focused on the local community. An intimate knowledge of the local area, a flexible orientation toward problem solving, fast turnaround, and home town decision making are all significant factors in Independence Bank's continuing success. Over the years Independence Bank has enjoyed steady growth, offering a variety of banking products and excellence in lending services. In 1996 Montana Security Inc. was chartered as a Montana bank holding company, with its primary purpose to hold the stock of Independence Bank and allow for acquisition of financial institutions in other communities. In January 1998 Montana Security Inc. made its first acquisition with the purchase of Citizens State Bank of Scobey and Traders State Bank of Poplar. Additional expansion occurred in May 2000 with the purchase of Western Security Federal Bank branches in Glasgow and Malta. In July 2000 Montana Security Inc. adopted Independence Bank as the name of its subsidiary Bank and branch locations in Havre, Glasgow, Malta, Poplar and Scobey. Independence Bank is an active participant in supporting the communities of North Central and North Eastern Montana. Beyond financial support, the staff of Independence Bank is actively involved in a broad range of community activities. Independence Bank is proud to call the northern tier of Montana its home.