Carroll County State Bank has made a big announcement this morning (Friday) that they are changing their name and will now be known as Availa Bank. CEO and President, Jeff Scharfenkamp, said the main reason for the change is for increased recognition and continuity throughout the organizations holdings.
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Scharfenkamp said that it was a lengthy, but rewarding process in developing the new name and brand identity. They began working toward this change nearly a year and a half ago, then partnered with a marketing firm approximately nine months ago.
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It was not easy for bank officials and staff to give up the Carroll County State Bank name. They began serving customers as the German Bank of Carroll in 1870, and the current name was adopted during World War I. Scharfenkamp said that the timing, however, is appropriate as new branches are being added to their six current locations.
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The changes will also bring a unification of all of the separate sites into one website. Scharfenkamp said they have adopted .bank as a part of the website address at Availa.Bank. These sites, he said, are more thoroughly vetted and offer a more secure way for customers to conduct business with Availa Bank on the internet. There will be an open house that continues until 4 p.m. this afternoon (Friday) at 126 W. 6th Street in Carroll.