Our Story

When we set out to open Mountain 1^st Bank & Trust in May of 2004, we were determined to boldly go where no bank had gone before. After all, true visionaries don’t “think outside of the box,“ they “re-invent the box,” so when you walk through our doors, be ready to enjoy the “Mountain 1^st Experience.” Just as you would greet someone at your front door, we greet you at ours within your first step inside the bank. While most banks talk about being different but rarely follow through on the promise, Mountain 1^st truly backs what they say up by actions.

Don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a traditional bank with harsh fluorescent lights and hard marble floors, but instead see that we’re a cross between a bustling coffee house and a warm, inviting lodge nestled in the mountains. We’ve designed our branches to be a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere so that you can come into the bank and relax in one of the rocking chairs, sip coffee in our bank cafés and enjoy a freshly baked, mouth-watering chocolate chip cookie. Mountain 1^st is a place we want you to feel at ease while making your financial decisions. We want you to come visit, even if you don’t have any banking to do.

All Mountain 1^st employees live, work and worship where our customers live, work and worship; really knowing the people and community that we serve helps us to better understand you personally, not just your bank account number. We take a personal approach to banking by offering responsive services – from answering your calls with a real human voice rather than letting an automated machine do it, to actually making house calls for extreme situations.

Our warmth, caring and easy manner fit perfectly with our seriousness about your money matters. While we offer product you will find at most financial institutions it is the service that is so unique that you can’t help but tell others about us. Some of the other unique products we offer include:

• · Free Business Checking
• · Free Business checks…FOR LIFE
• · Free Personal Checking
• · Free Online Banking with Bill Pay
• · Same Day Banking – No 2:00 cut-off
• · Open Extended hours- 8:30 – 5:30 Mon- THur until 6:00 on Fri
• · We pay other banks ATM fees

We offer competitive conveniences such as remote deposit that allows businesses to process deposits without having to make a trip into the bank. Even with these offerings and services, our employees are available and accessible every step of the way to help customers grow stronger in their knowledge of the finance products to suit their needs. Think of us as your ‘Cash Coach.’

In this short period of time, Mountain 1^st has quickly become the fastest growing de novo bank in the history of the Southeast. With 15 branches, 165 employees and just over $685 million in assets. We have a solid infrastructure as well as quality personnel that will continue to nurture the rapid growth our bank has experienced.