Four Corners bank expands in Durango

Four Corners Community Bank held a groundbreaking Aug. 27 for a branch on the lot of the former Mama’s Boy Italian restaurant in Durango.

Construction on the new branch is underway with plans to open in the first quarter of 2016. “

“We’re pleased that Shawn Candelaria has joined our team as Durango market president,” said FCCB president and CEO Sheila Mathews. “His wealth of experience as a longtime local banker and longevity in the Durango community will be a great asset to us.”

The new branch will be Four Corners Community Bank’s seventh location. There are two in Cortez, three in Farmington, and one in Aztec. FCCB has $310 million in total assets and employs nearly 70 people.

Steve Emrich joining First Southwest Bank

Kent Curtis, CEO of First Southwest Bank, has announced the recent hiring of Steve Emrich to the bank’s lending team as vice president/commercial lender.

Emrich will manage business development, and loan account relationships for the bank’s Durango marketplace. Before joining First Southwest Bank, Emrich was vice president/business banking officer at First National Bank of Durango for over 15 years and previously worked for the Bank of Colorado. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fort Lewis College.

First Southwest Bank has offices throughout the San Luis Valley, Pagosa Springs, Durango and Cortez, and can be found online at fswb.com.

Mesa Verde announces Every Kid in a Park

Mesa Verde National Park invites fourth-graders to visit for free as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting Sept. 1, fourth-graders can go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

Mesa Verde National Park offers a variety of activities including ranger guided tours of the cliff dwellings, bicycling on Wetherill Mesa, a self-guided junior ranger activity, or wildlife viewing.

To receive their free pass for national parks, fourth-graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass.

Fourth-graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2016. The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

The Cortez Journal