Academy Bank's new flagship retail banking hits KC Crossroads

Academy Bank, a full-service community bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corp., is opening a new flagship retail banking center and home office in KC's Crossroads Arts District.

The new branch, located at 1881 Main Street, comprises 4,214 SF of the first floor of the stand-alone building adjacent to Corrigan Station and plans to offer a full range of personal, business and commercial banking services.

“Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District is anchored by its eclectic, creative spirit. As a dedicated member of this vibrant community, we’ve designed Academy Bank in the Crossroads to be a collaborative, inviting environment that embraces the future of banking,” said Paul Holewinski, president and CEO of Academy Bank.

As part of its new approach to community banking, the Crossroads branch shares an outdoor courtyard space with neighboring businesses including The Roasterie and WeWork Kansas City. Community conference rooms and comfortable workspaces with free WiFi can be reserved at no charge by area businesses and organizations.

In addition to smart ATM and mobile services, Academy Bank in the Crossroads will offer the latest in banking technology with walk-up video banking that offers personal face-to-face service. With the touch of a screen, customers can speak with a video banker to help with most banking services with the convenience and flexibility of extended banking hours, seven days a week (8 am to 10 pm Mon - Fri; 8 am to 5 pm Sat; and 11 am to 4 pm Sun).

By the end of this year, Academy Bank also will introduce Academy Express - an innovative, drive-thru video banking and ATM service — also in the Crossroads Arts District. Academy Express will connect drive-up customers to a live banker outside of traditional banking hours, seven days a week.

This year, Academy Bank plans to open retail banking centers in Lenexa, KS. and the Northland in Kansas City, MO. In August, the bank opened a new retail banking center in Overland Park, KS.

Academy Bank ranked third on the Kansas City Business Journal’s list of the “strongest large banks in 2018” with a loan portfolio growth of 22.2%. The $1.5 billion-asset bank has 20 branches in the Kansas City bi-state region, making it the seventh-largest bank based in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Five minutes with Valbridge President Laird Goldborough

Over the past decade, Valbridge Property Advisors in Kansas City has enjoyed double digit growth and seen its staff double in size. Formerly Shaner Appraisals, the company rebranded in 2013 and founded national firm Valbridge Property Advisors. The move led to access to national clients and a 20 percent uptick in customer growth over the past five years. MetroWire Media caught up with Valbridge President Laird Goldborough for insight into the Kansas City market and a look at what's ahead for the company.  

MWM: How did your 2013 founding of Valbridge change Shaner Appraisals?

Goldsborough: We shifted to a national platform. Shaner Appraisals, Inc. was a local company, and we now have national reach as well as access to larger corporate clients. In Kansas City, we were a dominant firm but were not nationally recognized. Now as Valbridge, we have a bigger seat at the table.

MWM: Some are predicting a market slowdown in 2019. What are you seeing?

Goldsborough: I am more optimistic. Kansas City is a low beta market, so there are not a lot of swings. The coasts tend to move up or down before we do. The number of construction cranes is crazy in Kansas City. Single-family is very active, and in the short term the only thing that may start affecting the velocity is an interest rate hike. I don’t really see a major slowdown any time soon. I have not seen any product that has ceased building. It’s been a nice run and cycles do end, but I don’t see the end in the near term.

MWM: You’re celebrating five years as Valbridge, but you’ve been around much longer than that. How has your leadership changed and how will it continue to evolve?

Goldsborough: This is the 40th anniversary of Shaner Appraisals, founded by Bernie Shaner. I purchased the company from Bernie, but he remains very active. We just announced the next generation of leadership with the appointments of Daniel Kann and Jason Roos to Managing Directors. These guys have done everything right. They work hard and are very smart, and we are happy to have them lead the firm into the future.

MWM: How is your role at VPA changing?

Goldsborough: I am seeing my role shift a bit toward mentoring, and I really love coaching and bringing people up through the system. I am a graduate of the HEMP program (Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program), and it is all about giving back and mentoring the next generation. After graduating from that program, this succession planning makes a lot of sense.

Valbridge Property Advisors Principals Bernie Shaner and Laird Goldsborough have announced a new succession plan for leadership that promotes Daniel Kann and Jason Roos to Managing Directors. Pictured above: Bernie Shaner, Daniel Kann, Jason Roos, Laird Goldsborough