Centier Bank to mark 100th year
Item
Title
Centier Bank to mark 100th year
Creator
Chesterton Tribune
Date
April 20, 1995
Identifier
SN.01.797
Subject
Community, Michael Schrage, Henry Schrage, Anniversaries, 100th Anniversary, Centennial
Original Format
newspaper
Text
Centier Bank plans to mark its 100th anniversary on Friday.
Three Chesterton branches are among the area-owned bank’s 18 locations in Porter and Lake counties.
“This anniversary is a pretty unique accomplishment in today’s environment of larger, national banks taking over most of the smaller community banks,” said Centier President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Schrage.
The bank has remained in the Schrage family’s hands through four generations, growing to more than $500 million in assets.
The bank is marking its anniversary in numerous ways, including Customer Appreciation Day on Friday. Refreshments are to be served at all Centier locations.
A limited edition coin bank, which is a replica of the original bank building in Whiting, is for sale at Centier locations, as is a “Centennial Cookbook” with more than 400 recipes from Northwest Indiana residents.
The Schrage Family Scholarship Foundation is to award a $2,000 scholarship to one student at each of 10 public high schools in Centier’s market areas.
Activities are also to include the formal renaming of New York Avenue in Whiting to Centier Avenue on Friday morning and a performance by the Air Force “Night Flight” jazz ensemble at Whiting High School at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Other activities are planned this summer in communities with Centier branches, including visits by the bank’s “Centennial Trolly.” The bank has also purchased an inflatable “moonwalk” where kids will be able to bounce around during public events and festivals.
Henry Schrage founded the “Bank of Whiting” in 1895. In the next generation, Walter Schrage Sr. continued the bank’s success while being active in the community, including serving as Whiting’s mayor. Walter Schrage Jr. became president in 1960 and changed the institution’s name to First Bank of Whiting to eliminate confusion with the State Bank of Whiting. Michael Schrage became chairman in 1982. The bank became Centier in 1991 to mark nearly a century of service and to avoid confusion with other area institutions with “First” in their names.
The bank’s mission statement reflects a focus on families, small businesses, and communities, says a Centier press release.
Accordingly, the release noted some of Centier’s accomplishments: receiving the first-ever Family Friendly Business Award from the Porter County chapter of Formerly Employed Mothers at the Leading Edge; receiving the Family Life Enhancement Award from Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis; being one of only 15 Indiana banks designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration as certified lenders; being named Small Business Lender of the Year by the Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation; volunteer work by employees including weekly Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound persons; initiation of funding for Habitat for Humanity homes for low-income families; and the raising of more than $1,500 for charities via a monthly day when employees can dress casually if they donate $1.
“We want to be more than just a place where people do business,” said Michael Schrage. “We’re involved in our communities and really try to make a difference in the lives of those around us.”
Three Chesterton branches are among the area-owned bank’s 18 locations in Porter and Lake counties.
“This anniversary is a pretty unique accomplishment in today’s environment of larger, national banks taking over most of the smaller community banks,” said Centier President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Schrage.
The bank has remained in the Schrage family’s hands through four generations, growing to more than $500 million in assets.
The bank is marking its anniversary in numerous ways, including Customer Appreciation Day on Friday. Refreshments are to be served at all Centier locations.
A limited edition coin bank, which is a replica of the original bank building in Whiting, is for sale at Centier locations, as is a “Centennial Cookbook” with more than 400 recipes from Northwest Indiana residents.
The Schrage Family Scholarship Foundation is to award a $2,000 scholarship to one student at each of 10 public high schools in Centier’s market areas.
Activities are also to include the formal renaming of New York Avenue in Whiting to Centier Avenue on Friday morning and a performance by the Air Force “Night Flight” jazz ensemble at Whiting High School at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Other activities are planned this summer in communities with Centier branches, including visits by the bank’s “Centennial Trolly.” The bank has also purchased an inflatable “moonwalk” where kids will be able to bounce around during public events and festivals.
Henry Schrage founded the “Bank of Whiting” in 1895. In the next generation, Walter Schrage Sr. continued the bank’s success while being active in the community, including serving as Whiting’s mayor. Walter Schrage Jr. became president in 1960 and changed the institution’s name to First Bank of Whiting to eliminate confusion with the State Bank of Whiting. Michael Schrage became chairman in 1982. The bank became Centier in 1991 to mark nearly a century of service and to avoid confusion with other area institutions with “First” in their names.
The bank’s mission statement reflects a focus on families, small businesses, and communities, says a Centier press release.
Accordingly, the release noted some of Centier’s accomplishments: receiving the first-ever Family Friendly Business Award from the Porter County chapter of Formerly Employed Mothers at the Leading Edge; receiving the Family Life Enhancement Award from Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis; being one of only 15 Indiana banks designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration as certified lenders; being named Small Business Lender of the Year by the Indiana Statewide Certified Development Corporation; volunteer work by employees including weekly Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound persons; initiation of funding for Habitat for Humanity homes for low-income families; and the raising of more than $1,500 for charities via a monthly day when employees can dress casually if they donate $1.
“We want to be more than just a place where people do business,” said Michael Schrage. “We’re involved in our communities and really try to make a difference in the lives of those around us.”