The Bippus State Bank, Huntington, cut the ribbon on its new 15,000-square-foot operations center in downtown Huntington in September. The two-story, state-of-the-art facility brings the bank’s regional staff together under one roof at 2871 Northpark Ave. After the ribbon cutting, bank leaders offered guided tours of the new center.
IBA associate member Design Collaborative, Fort Wayne, served as the architect for the project, overseeing both the design and construction of the facility. The exterior pairs warm brick with sleek metal panel accents, while the interior offers a large training room and a mix of private offices, open workstations and collaborative areas that improve operational efficiency while creating a comfortable and productive environment for staff.
At the heart of the operations center is a two-story entry and community hub that’s filled with natural light, designed to energize employees and foster connection.
The bank cut the ribbon on its new operations center Sept. 17, 2025, in downtown Huntington, Ind.
The Farmers Bank, Frankfort, converted all its branches to financial centers as of Sept. 5. The shift emphasizes specialized advisors and new technology while still providing everyday banking services. The bank has utilized video ATMs at its Westfield financial center since it opened in 2023. They will expand to more locations in the coming months, staffed by virtual center employees located across multiple locations, creating expanded service access while making the most of the bank’s resources.
As part of this transition, the bank has begun elevating the look and feel of each location. This long-term aspect of the project coincides with the bank’s 150th anniversary next year.
The transition from branches to financial centers includes updated physical design and look, including at the bank’s headquarters in Frankfort.
Horizon Bank, Michigan City, broke ground in September for its newest branch location at 38th Street and Arlington Avenue in Indianapolis. The branch is expected to open in spring 2026. The new location will expand Horizon’s presence in Indianapolis and bring modern, customer-focused banking services to the community. Designed to meet a wide range of financial needs, the branch will provide personal and business banking solutions, along with a dedicated mortgage loan originator to assist customers with home financing.
(from left) Mark Secor, executive vice president, chief administration officer; Todd Etzler, executive vice president, chief legal & risk officer; Jim Paul, senior vice president-retail banking; John R. Stewart, executive vice president, chief financial officer; Thomas Prame, chief executive officer
Lake City Bank, Warsaw, opened its newest branch in Westfield in September. The new banking center represents the bank’s 55th branch overall and its ninth in the Indianapolis region. The full-service branch is located at 170 Jersey St. in the Union at Grand Junction development in downtown Westfield. Grand Junction Plaza – which the bank helped finance – includes apartments, retail and office space, restaurants and public parking. The office will be managed by Stacy R. Oswald, vice president, retail banking officer.
The branch’s retail banking team will include (from left) Stacy Oswald, Juliana Wright, Lisa Smith and Nelly Colla
