Gogebic Range Bank Expansion Continues

IRONWOOD, MI - Saturday, June 06, 2009 - Debris from the old Shell gas station that once stood behind the Gogebic Range Bank (GRB) was cleaned up recently as the bank's expansion plans roll forward. The station was razed back in January of this year.

The two houses adjacent to the bank's drive-thru will also be removed in order to allow for the expansion. Plans call for an entirely new bank building and the removal of the existing building. The building the bank is now housed in was once a Dairy Queen Store. It served for quite some time as the Alpine Restaurant, and was the branch bank for the Gogebic National Bank (later National City Bank and currently, the River Valley Bank).

According to the bank's website, the Gogebic Range Bank operates from two locations with the main office located on Sophie Street in downtown Bessemer and their branch office located at 155 East Cloverland Drive in Ironwood.

They have ATM's located at their office in Ironwood and one located at the Spur station in Bessemer.

GRB opened for business on May 20th, 2002 with $ 3,250,000 in bank capital and they are the 1,028th bank chartered to operate in the State of Michigan. Today they have exceeded $ 32,000,000 in bank assets. They are a full service bank with a complete line of deposit and loan products for both consumer and business customers. They also offer full-service brokerage services through PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc.

GRB is a wholly owned subsidiary of West End Financial Corporation (WEF) and has approximately 160 shareholders.They are a true community bank organized to serve the Western End of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northeastern Wisconsin.

The bank's officers are as follows:

Mr. Neil J. Beckman is President and Chief Executive Officer of West End Financial, Corp. and of Gogebic Range Bank. Mr. Beckman started his banking career in 1991 as a management trainee with Michigan Financial Corporation and has worked as a teller, operations clerk, customer service representative, consumer lender, mortgage lender and commercial lender. Mr. Beckman is active in community organizations, currently serving on the Gogebic County Economic Development Commission, Gogebic County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, the Vice President of the Ironwood Industrial Development Corporation, and is a current member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Ironwood. Mr. Beckman resides in Ironwood with his daughter, Ashley. Mr. Beckman is a graduate of Luther L. Wright High School and Northern Michigan University and is an eight year Air Force veteran.

Mr. Michael Sejbl is Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer of Gogebic Range Bank. He brings more than 15 years of banking experience, including loan officer, assistant vice president branch manager of several branch banks, and, most recently as senior vice president commercial loan officer of the M&I Bank in Ashland, Wisconsin. Sejbl is a graduate of J.E. Murphy High School in Hurley and Gogebic Community College, where he received an associate degree in business administration. He is also a graduate of the Commercial Lending School at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. He lives in Hurley with his wife, Sheryl, and their three children. Sejbl has been a member of the Hurley Volunteer Fire Department since 1987 and is currently the president and safety officer.

Mrs. Judy Pietrocatelli is Operations Officer of Gogebic Range Bank. She brings more than 20 years of banking experience including teller, accounting , and auditing at the former MFC First National Bank of Ironwood, Michigan. Mrs. Pietrocatelli is a graduate of Luther L. Wright High School, Gogebic Community College and Northland College. Mrs. Pietrocatelli lives in Ironwood with her husband John. They have three children and two grandchildren.

Mrs. Cherie LaMarche is our Mortgage Officer. Mrs. LaMarche joined Gogebic Range Bank in May of 2005. She has over 12 years of Banking experience in several different areas including, deposit and loan operations as well as mortgage processing. Mrs. LaMarche is a 1990 graduate of J.E. Murphy High School in Hurley WI and a 1994 graduate of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. Mrs. LaMarche resides in Saxon, WI. with her husband Rod.

Mr. Donald M. Armata is Gogebic Range Bank's Branch Manager at our Ironwood office. Mr. Armata has more than 20 years of banking experience including bookkeeper, teller, collection department supervisor and loan officer at the former MFC First National Bank of Ironwood. Mr. Armata graduated from Ironwood Catholic High School and the Northern Michigan University School of Banking. Mr. Armata resides in Ironwood with his wife Marti and his son. Mr. Armata is a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Ms. Yvonne Morzenti is an investment representative and financial advisor through PrimeVest Financial Services. Ms. Morzenti started her banking career in 1978 at First National Bank in Ironwood as a bookkeeping data processing supervisor and later was in business development with MFC First National Bank. She is a 1987 graduate of the Northern Michigan School of Banking. In 1997, she received her Series 7 and 63 licenses and worked in the investment department of MFC First National and Wells Fargo Bank until her retirement in April. Ms. Morzenti lives in Montreal with her husband, Gary. They have four children and two grandchildren.

Members of the Board of Directors are:

Mr. Robert L. Abelman is the Chairman of the Board of West End Financial Corporation and Gogebic Range Bank. Mr. Abelman has been a life long resident of the Bessemer community. He attended Northern Michigan University and graduated from Western Michigan University in 1970. He was a member of the Michigan National Guard for six years. Since 1970, Mr. Abelman has worked, been a partner, and then owner of the Abelman Company, which has served the Range area since 1887. Mr. Abelman is a member of the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority, Bessemer Brownsfield Commission, and Bessemer Projects. Inc. Mr. Abelman held a directorship with First of America Bank for nine years, four of which were as an Upper Peninsula Director.

Mr. Paul T. Malmberg is the Secretary of West End Financial Corporation and Gogebic Range Bank. Mr. Malmberg is the owner of the General Insurance Agency, an independent insurance agency in Bessemer. He also has minority ownership interest in Big Powderhorn Mountain Ski Corporation, a Bessemer area ski resort, and Bessemer Projects, Inc., a group of local investors formed to invest in Bessemer area developments.

Mrs. Robin Kafczynski is a Board Member of Gogebic Range Bank. She was born and raised in Ironwood and is a 1977 graduate of Luther L. Wright High School. She received an Associates Degree from Gogebic Community College is 1979 and graduated from Ferris State University in 1981 with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work. For the past 24 years, Kafczynski has worked for Chief Oil Company, Inc. as the Office Manager and is Secretary/Treasurer of the Corporation. She resides in Ironwood with her husband Joe, a teacher in the Ironwood Area Schools, daughter & son Cassie and Joey.

Mr. John M. Stempihar is Vice President of West End Financial Corporation and Gogebic Range Bank. Mr. Stempihar is the owner of Stempihar Brothers Distributors, Incorporated offering a complete line of petroleum products. Mr. Stempihar, a native of Bessemer, Michigan, attended Gogebic Community College and then transferred to Michigan Technological University to complete a career in Civil Engineering. After working 16 years as a superintendent for commercial buildings and road building projects in Michigan and Northern Wisconsin, he returned in 1979 to form Stempihar Brothers Distributors Incorporated based in Bessemer, Michigan. The business is highly successful and supplies the needs of tourists, general public, and logging industries. Mr. Stempihar is active in civic affairs and aids the general area with his membership and guidance on the local Downtown Development Authority and as a partner in Bessemer Projects, Incorporated.

Dr. Mark E. Stempihar is Assistant Treasurer of West End Financial Corporation. Dr. Stempihar has been a life-long resident of the Gogebic Range. Having graduated from Wakefield High School and Gogebic Community College, Dr. Stempihar majored in Zoology/Chemistry at the University of Michigan graduating in 1975. He went on to medical school and graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1979. After his residency at the Henry Ford Hospital, he returned to the area in 1983 and started Great Lake Eye Specialists. Presently, he owns a successful ophthalmology practice in Ironwood and Western Upper Michigan. His community involvement includes past Board Chairman of the Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees, and he is a current director for Grand View Health Systems and a member of the Lion's Club International and Rotary International.

Mr. Raymond W. Brown is Treasurer of West End Financial Corporation and Gogebic Range Bank. Mr. Brown graduated from the Detroit College of Business with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 1972. He then moved to Bessemer, Michigan and started General Accounting Service, a public accounting practice, of which he is the owner and operator. He also was instrumental as organizer, director, and treasurer in Bessemer Projects, Inc., a building development company that was started in 1998 to help develop and promote businesses for the City of Bessemer and the surrounding area. His involvement with this organization continues today. Mr. Brown has been very active in community affairs, and is a member of the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce as well as the Bessemer Lions Club, serving as that club's treasurer. Mr. Brown is currently President of the Civil Service Commission for the City of Bessemer and has maintained his membership in the Independent Accountants Association of Michigan. He has lived in Bessemer for the past 28 years.

Mrs. Cheri Constantini is a director of Gogebic Range Bank. She is a graduate of Luther L. Wright High School and Gogebic Community College and attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette. With her husband, they own and operate Constantini's Furniture store in Ironwood and the Brite Spot liquor store in Hurley. Mrs. Constantini lives in Hurley with her husband. The couple has two children.