Southwest Community Bank to open first Springfield branch

Southwest Community Bank has assets of $74 million and currently has locations at 1444 W. State Highway J and 393 N. 21st St. in Ozark. The State Highway J branch will close in September with the opening of the Springfield branch.

“We have a lot of commercial customers that are in Springfield, and we were just looking for a way to make banking convenient with them,” said Vice President Sherri Moffitt, who will oversee the 21st Street branch after the move.

President and CEO Mark Uhler and Senior Vice President Larry Jones will relocate to the Springfield branch, which will open in September despite ongoing renovations until January.

The relocated branch will offer the usual array of loan services, checking, savings, drive-through lanes and automated teller capabilities. About 10 employees will move from the Ozark branch.

The East Battlefield Road space became available in June when The Signature Bank consolidated that branch with its 2655 S. Campbell Ave. branch to a new building at 3211 E. Battlefield Road.

First Home Savings Bank opened its first Springfield branch July 17 in The Signature Bank’s vacated South Campbell building.

Eric Piel, community bank president for First Home Savings Bank and former president of First National Bank, said the opening went smoothly.

“So far, so good,” he said on opening day.

Piel had been at First National Bank in Springfield for four years, serving as right-hand man to bank co-owner Aaron Buerge. Neither Piel nor Buerge would disclose why Piel left.

“There are some things better left unsaid,” Piel said.