West Gate Bank – Our Interest Is You

Locally owned since it was established in 1968, West Gate Bank® has grown significantly over the years,
currently with seven branches across Lincoln and a team committed to serving neighbors in the community.

Give us a brief synopsis of your business. West Gate Bank® is a true community bank devoted to meeting the needs of those here in Lincoln. This community focus is not only evident in all that we do, but in how we do it.

As a full-service banking institution, we are large enough to serve all your personal, commercial and mortgage banking needs, yet small enough to provide the outstanding personal service that only a locally-owned community bank can deliver. We’re committed to our customers’ success and invested in their financial well-being.

President & CEO Carl Sjulin and West O Branch Manager, Rachelle Soulliere, are recognized by the Nebraska Bankers Association for the bank’s partnership with Lakeview Elementary.

Who are the owners/important executives? West Gate Bank has been owned by Carl Sjulin and his family since 1980. Carl Sjulin is President and CEO of West Gate Bank and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

What do you think makes you different from other companies similar to yours? Our friendly staff, our commitment to do what’s in the best interest of our customers, the strong relationships we have built with our customers, local decision-making and our connections to the community help set us apart from the competition. Our ability to make lending decisions locally allows us to provide a quick response for customers that need to borrow funds. It’s a benefit that you don’t think of until you need the money for personal or business use! We also service our mortgage loans here in Lincoln, which is a rarity, but offers our customers quick, responsive customer service when they have questions about their mortgage.

What do you like about doing business in Lincoln? Lincoln is a growing, thriving city, but retains a hometown feel. There is such a sense of community here that resonates with our mission statement. It’s exciting to see the growth and development of this city and to help play a role in it, whether through our community initiatives, or by providing the financing to builders and developers.

What kind of community organizations/groups are you involved with? We are involved with a number of community organizations, including Junior Achievement, Willard Community Center, United Way, Tabitha Meals on Wheels, Lincoln Community Foundation, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and Peoples City Mission.

Do you have a business philosophy or mission statement? Our mission statement is: Integrity. Strength. Trust. West Gate Bank is committed to providing a strong foundation to build relationships that empower our customers and employees to achieve their dreams.

What changes have you seen in the industry and your company in the past few years? Certainly, changes in technology have impacted the banking industry over the past few years. Customers have grown to expect mobile-friendly resources and technology innovations for their banking needs. We’ve updated our website to provide an improved customer experience regardless of what device a customer accesses our site on.  We also recently completed a bank-wide system upgrade that will now position us to offer more of the technology resources our customers are asking for.

What do you see happening with the business in the next five years? Technology will continue to evolve the banking industry. There’s a lot on the horizon from a national scope, so we’ll be looking to see how we might implement the advancements that will be coming.

What are your plans for the coming year? In 2018, West Gate Bank will celebrate its 50th anniversary as a family-owned, community bank. This is an important milestone and one that we are proud to achieve.

As part of our upcoming 50th Anniversary, we are undergoing a brand update that includes a new logo and a new tagline: Our interest is you

The logo was designed to illustrate the growth that West Gate Bank can help provide for our customers, and of the growth we have experienced over the years as a community bank. The new tagline demonstrates what we’ve been doing all along–providing personalized service to each of our customers.

6003 Old Cheney Rd Lincoln, Nebraska • (402) 434-3456 • westgate.bank