Bank of the Rockies

What Bank of the Rockies does

Bank of the Rockies is a privately held, family-owned community bank headquartered in Helena, Montana, with its operational roots in White Sulphur Springs where it was founded in 1883 as the Bank of Meagher County. Operating under a state charter since 2019 and recognized as the oldest bank in Montana, the institution is majority-owned by Michael E. Grove through the holding company Countricorp, with second-generation family members now active in operations. The bank operates seven physical branches across five Montana counties (Meagher, Park, Fergus, Gallatin, and Lewis and Clark) and has announced an eighth branch in Fort Benton scheduled to open in May 2027.

The bank runs a traditional community-banking technology stack layered onto relationship-driven service: 128-bit SSL-encrypted online banking, a mobile app with remote deposit (capped at $5,000/day), multi-factor authentication, SecureAlerts transaction notifications, and integrations for Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Money. Merchant processing is delivered through a First Data partnership, wires are routed through correspondent bank United Bankers Bank, and the .BANK gated domain provides anti-phishing assurance. The bank does not offer a public API, has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and provides no third-party developer platform.

The business model is spread-based, anchored by interest income on agricultural (farm/ranch operating lines, livestock and equipment loans, ag real estate via Farmer Mac, Conterra, and FSA Guaranteed programs), commercial, residential mortgage, and consumer loans. Fee and non-interest income streams include deposit account fees, merchant services residuals, accounts receivable purchasing through the Business Manager program, and insurance referral fees generated via the 1883 Insurance subsidiary across 40+ carrier relationships. The customer base spans individual consumers, small businesses, farmers and ranchers, veterans (via Armed Forces Financial Network), and youth/students (Big Sky Student Checking and Youth AG products), with no publicly disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Bank of the Rockies

Legal name

Bank of the Rockies

Website

https://botr.bank

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bank of the Rockies is a family-owned, Montana community bank founded in 1883, operating 7 branches across five counties with a focus on agricultural, small business, and personal banking for Montana residents. Revenue is generated through loan interest, deposit fees, merchant services, and insurance referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural & Rural Development Banks (FSABAKAE)

Keywords

• Community banking services
• Agricultural lending
• Personal banking accounts
• Commercial loan services
• Merchant card processing

Headquarters

HQ city

White Sulphur Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income on Loans: The primary revenue stream is interest income generated from personal loans (auto, home equity, personal), agricultural loans (farm & ranch, operating lines of credit, real estate), commercial loans, and residential mortgages. Interest rates on loans are based on Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and may fluctuate.
2. Deposit Interest & Banking Fees: Revenue from deposit accounts including checking and savings accounts, CD accounts, IRAs, and escrow services. Fee schedule applies for various account services including stop payments ($30), maintenance fees on certain accounts, and excess withdrawal fees.
3. Merchant Services Revenue: Revenue generated through First Data partnership for credit card processing services offered to business customers, including transaction fees for payment processing through point-of-sale systems.
4. Business Manager (Accounts Receivable Purchasing): Bank purchases existing business receivables at a discounted price, providing immediate cash to businesses and earning revenue from the discount and service fees.
5. Insurance Referral Fees (1883 Insurance): Through the 1883 Insurance subsidiary, the bank earns referral fees for insurance products including home, renters, auto, life, wedding, pet, and identity protection, working with over 40 insurance carriers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bank of the Rockies is a full-service community bank that accepts deposits, originates personal, commercial, and agricultural loans, and provides ancillary banking services including merchant card processing, cash management, remote deposit capture, escrow, and identity protection. It operates seven physical branches across Montana complemented by an online and mobile banking platform, and distributes insurance products through its 1883 Insurance subsidiary.

Product overview

Bank of the Rockies is a family-owned community bank headquartered in Montana, founded in 1883. The company offers a unified platform of traditional banking products and services spanning personal banking (checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, youth savings), business banking (checking, savings, cash management, merchant services, merchant capture, business manager receivables), agricultural lending (farm/ranch loans, operating credit lines, real estate, youth ag loans), consumer lending (auto loans, home equity, mortgages), and insurance products through its 1883 Insurance subsidiary. Digital banking is provided as a convenience alongside physical branch locations, with online/mobile banking, SecureAlerts, and remote deposit capture as supporting services. The bank operates seven Montana branches with an eighth location planned for Fort Benton in 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 1883 Insurance: Insurance agency offering home, renters, auto, life, wedding/events, pet, and identity protection insurance policies through a network of over 40 carriers. Operated as a division of Bank of the Rockies.

Products and services

• Personal Checking Accounts Personal checking accounts for individual consumers, including the Big Sky Student Checking account with $25 minimum opening balance, no minimum balance requirements, unlimited check writing, and free online bill pay (for students aged 13-24).
• Personal Savings Accounts Savings accounts for individuals with competitive interest rates, automatic transfer capabilities, and tiered interest options to help customers save for the future.
• Certificate of Deposit (CD) Term deposit accounts offering fixed interest rates for savings growth over specified periods, available to personal banking customers.
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts including traditional and Roth IRA options for individual retirement planning.
• Youth AG Savings Savings accounts for young agriculturalists in 4-H or FFA programs, offering higher interest rates than standard youth accounts to help students start saving for their future in agriculture.
• Business Checking Accounts Business checking accounts tailored to unique business financial challenges, with multiple account levels and features for local small businesses and family-owned enterprises.
• Business Savings Accounts Business savings options including Regular Business Savings ($100 minimum opening balance, $200 minimum balance, $2 monthly fee) and Tiered Money Market Business Savings ($1,000 minimum opening balance, $10 monthly fee) with competitive interest rates.
• Cash Management Services Business cash flow management tools and services for optimizing business finances and liquidity for local businesses.
• Merchant Services Credit card processing through the First Data partnership, accepting all major credit and debit cards, PIN-based debit, e-check, gift cards, and EBT. Includes virtual terminal, real-time transaction management, loyalty rewards, and customizable POS systems.
• Merchant Capture Remote deposit capture solution enabling businesses to scan multiple checks and transmit check images directly to the bank, allowing deposits on the business's own schedule.
• Business Manager Accounts receivable management program in which the bank purchases existing business receivables at a discounted price and assumes billing functions, providing immediate funding for customer invoices.
• Personal Auto Loans Financing for new cars, trucks, RVs, and other recreational vehicles with competitive, flexible, and quick financing options for individual consumers.
• Home Equity and Mortgage Loans Home purchase, construction, and remodeling financing including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, land, construction, portfolio loans, and Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) options.
• Second Homes / Hobby Farm Loans Rural lending for hobby farms as second homes, including single family homes with 5-160+ acres, outbuildings, pasture/tillable acreage, and Schedule F income acceptance.
• Commercial Loans Commercial term loans for expansion, working capital, vehicle acquisition, and equipment purchase, plus commercial real estate loans for owner-occupied and investment properties.
• Farm & Ranch Loans Agricultural financing including revolving and straight operating lines of credit, term operating loans for cattle and equipment, real estate loans, and partnerships with Farmer Mac, Conterra, and FSA Guaranteed Loan Programs.
• Youth AG Loans Specialized loans for active 4-H and FFA members to finance market or breeding projects, providing early access to financing for young agricultural professionals.
• 1883 Insurance Insurance products offered through Bank of the Rockies' insurance agency, including home, renters, auto, life, wedding/events, pet, and identity protection. Partners with over 40 insurance carriers.
• Online & Mobile Banking Digital banking platform providing 24/7 account access via desktop and mobile app (iOS/Android), including mobile deposit up to $5,000 per day, fund transfers, bill payment, eStatements, account nickname management, and biometric authentication.

Quantifiable outcome

• No minimum balance requirements on Big Sky Student Checking accounts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• First DatacoreTechnology or IntegrationFirst Data is a global leader in business merchant services providing credit card processing solutions to merchants in over 100 countries. Bank of the Rockies partnered with First Data to bring simple, secure, and innovative credit card processing solutions to business customers, including flexible pricing, award-winning customer service, and customizable point-of-sale systems. Services include accepting all major credit/debit cards, EBT, PIN-based debit, e-check, and gift cards.
• Armed Forces Financial NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Armed Forces Financial Network provides veterans and military members fee-free ATM access across the network, complementing the bank's recognition of veterans and active military with special accounts. Bank is also a member of the Association of Military Banks of America Network.
• 1883 InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1883 Insurance is a subsidiary insurance agency of Bank of the Rockies offering insurance products across home, renters, auto, life, wedding, pet, and identity protection through partnerships with over 40 insurance carriers. The bank directs customers to 1883 Insurance for bundled coverage options.
• American Bankers Association (ABA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBank of the Rockies partners with the American Bankers Association for Get Smart About Credit program, helping teachers with financial education curriculum and engaging with students through 1:1 interactions. The bank also participates in ABA's Teach Children to Save program during National Financial Literacy Month.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Glacier Bancorp: Multi-bank holding company headquartered in Kalispell, Montana operating 15+ community bank divisions across the western U.S. Overlaps with Bank of the Rockies in community banking, ag lending, and small business focus but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• U.S. Bank: Large national bank with a long-standing Montana branch presence including the Fort Benton building Bank of the Rockies is acquiring. Operates as a broad incumbent across consumer, business, and ag banking; notably exiting some small Montana markets where BOTR is expanding.

Emerging players

• Farm Credit Services of America: Cooperative Farm Credit System lender providing ag real estate, operating, and equipment loans to farmers and ranchers across the Midwest and Mountain West including Montana. Competes with Bank of the Rockies directly for ag borrower relationships and loan volume.

Regional players

• Bell Bank: Employee-owned Upper Midwest community bank with ag, commercial, and consumer banking plus an insurance arm analogous to Bank of the Rockies' 1883 Insurance. Comparable on relationship banking philosophy and integrated insurance subsidiary, though operating in a different (Midwest vs. Montana) geography.

Direct peers

• First Interstate Bank: Montana-headquartered community bank offering personal, business, and agricultural banking services across the western U.S. Closely comparable on customer base (consumers, ag, small business), product breadth, and Montana market presence.
• Stockman Bank of Montana: Family-owned Montana community bank with deep agricultural lending roots across multiple Montana counties. Directly comparable to Bank of the Rockies on geography (Montana-only), customer base (farmers/ranchers, small businesses), and product mix (deposits, ag loans, commercial loans, consumer lending).
• Yellowstone Bank: Community bank headquartered in Laurel, Montana with branches across south-central Montana serving ag, commercial, and consumer customers. Comparable on Montana geography, ag lending focus, and small-business banking model.
• Opportunity Bank of Montana: Helena, Montana-based community bank offering personal, business, and ag banking across Montana branches. Directly comparable as a same-state community bank targeting similar consumer, agricultural, and small-business customers with relationship-based service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bank-of-the-rockies

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bank of the Rockies