When someone walks into PrimeBank, they are immediately greeted by the offices of co-founders Bobby Priestley and Tanya Miller: an uncommon sight in an industry where executives are often tucked away behind closed doors.
That accessibility reflects the culture that PrimeBank has built.
As the only bank headquartered in Westlake, PrimeBank has made community involvement a cornerstone of its mission. It serves as the official bank of Westlake Nation and has built partnerships that support students, families, businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the area.
One of its most visible traditions is hosting tailgates before every Westlake High School home football game. This helps the bank’s team connect with residents in a relaxed setting.
The bank has also worked with Westlake schools on educational and entrepreneurship-focused initiatives. It created the Chap Card, a debit card designed specifically for students, alumni, parents, faculty and members of the Westlake community.
The program benefits multiple groups at once. Local businesses offer discounts to cardholders, helping drive customers through their doors, while users receive savings on purchases.
PrimeBank shares a portion of the debit card transaction revenue with Westlake educational organizations.
Rooted in history, dedicated to Westlake
This community-focused approach traces back to the co-founders' extensive local history.
Priestley and Miller are longtime community bankers who previously worked together in Westlake. Over the years, they developed a massive client base and deep community contacts, which gave them the momentum to launch their own institution.
In 2021, they assembled a group of local investors to purchase a small community bank in South Texas. Then, they established PrimeBank's official headquarters in Westlake.
Because of the bank’s deep roots, employees not only do business in the area, but also serve on local nonprofit boards and participate in Chamber of Commerce leadership roles.
“We are boots on the ground in the community,” said Jennifer Ivy, Senior Vice President of Commercial Growth and Partnerships. “We actually understand politically and economically what’s going on in Westlake. We understand both the opportunities and the challenges that this community has, and we’re able to help our clients navigate that through a lens of what’s beneficial for both the bank and the community.”
Decisions made close to home
Because PrimeBank is locally owned and headquartered, decisions are made by leaders who live and work in the building.
Chief Operations Officer Tyler Marshall said that structure allows the bank to respond more quickly and creatively than larger institutions, which require approvals from outside markets.
"We can literally walk down the hall and come up with a solution," Marshall said. "Our decisions are fast and final."
Recently, that flexibility helped a local commercial real estate venture secure financing for a business expansion. The client initially looked into a Small Business Administration loan, but PrimeBank's local decision-making allowed them to bypass the regulatory red tape, accommodating the client with better terms in less time.
The bank applies that same tailored approach to its depositors. They recently onboarded a large educational nonprofit. After multiple in-person meetings to map out their day-to-day operations, the PrimeBank team built an entirely customized treasury management solution.
Furthermore, keeping money local has its own rewards. When residents bank with a local institution, those funds are deployed back into the community in the form of home mortgages and commercial loans to help Westlake grow.
Fostering generational relationships in the communities they serve
The bank’s commitment to community extends to its foundational roots in South Texas.
There, the bank serves public county entities, supports local school districts and funds student scholarship programs. Employees regularly sponsor graduating seniors and youth agricultural programs.
When asked what they hope comes to mind when people hear the PrimeBank name, the answer isn't a specific banking product or interest rate.
"I would love it if, when people think of PrimeBank, they think of someone on the team that they know and trust, and who knows them," Marshall said.
Looking forward, PrimeBank's leaders hope the bank remains a familiar, trusted resource for families, businesses and organizations alike for generations to come.
Click here to learn more about PrimeBank, or to contact the team today.
The above story was produced by Senior Multi-Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.