STATE OF COLORADO
Durango Businesswoman Tami Duke joins bank’s Board of Directors
DURANGO, COLO. (August 15, 2023) – Bank of the San Juans has added Durango businesswoman and former bank Vice President, Tami Duke, to its board of directors.
Art Chase, founder and president of Bank of the San Juans, said, “ Tami brings a breadth of experience to our Board, both as a former banker, and as a successful business person. She joined Bank of the San Juans shortly after we opened in 1998 and rose through the ranks to become our senior credit officer until she retired from banking in 2012. We are extremely happy to have someone with Tami’s experience and intimate knowledge of the bank join our board and help lead us into the future.”
Founded in 1998 as a start-up capitalized by Durango-based community stockholders, Bank of the San Juans branch locations are spread throughout the south central, northwestern and southwestern parts of Colorado. In 2008, it joined the Glacier family of banks and operates as a division of Glacier Bank, part of Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: GBCI), a regional bank holding company headquartered in Kalispell, Montana.
“I am deeply honored to have been invited to join the bank's Board of Directors,” said Tami Duke. “Having been part of the bank's journey since its early days, it feels like a homecoming for me. I joined right after college and experienced my personal career growth alongside the bank's transformation into the esteemed institution it is today. The bank's culture, driven by a commitment to customer success and community welfare, has always resonated with me since the inception of our core values, and it continues to be a source of inspiration.”
Tami began her career in banking in 1993 at her hometown bank, Bank of Jackson Hole, working as a teller, new accounts representative, proof operator and other general operations positions. While at the University of Wyoming she worked for First Interstate Bank where she first got her start in consumer lending as a Personal Banker. Following her graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree, she moved to Durango, Colorado and began working for Bank of the San Juans as a Loan Processor and general office assistant. She initially did everything from answering phones, creating loan documents, and compliance auditing to establishing, implementing, and training staff on customer service and sales training skills. During her twelve years with Bank of the San Juans she was promoted regularly and eventually served as Vice President, Lender.
In 2012, Tami retired from banking when she and her husband decided to grow their business, Target Rental, to include a Bobcat dealership. Besides assisting in the growing company, Tami was able to devote more time to raising their children.
Throughout her career in banking, and in the years since her retirement, Tami has been an active community volunteer. She has been a member of the Rotary Club of Durango High Noon since 2001, serving as the Youth Exchange Officer for the past twelve years. She has worked extensively with the Durango High School Interact Club, which teaches students to run their own service club. In addition, Tami periodically teaches Financial Literacy during optional “Lunch and Learn” sessions at Target Rental. She seeks to help their employees by teaching them basic budgeting and credit repair/building skills so that they may achieve their financial goals.
Tom Melchior, Chairman of the Board of Director at Bank of the San Juans, said, ”I am absolutely delighted Tami Duke has accepted our invitation to join the Board. Tami is woven into the fabric of the Bank. She started with us in the Bank's early days as an entry level employee and over the years worked her way up the line to ultimately become the Bank's Chief Credit Officer. Tami knows the business inside-out, she is a community leader, and she has the respect of every individual she has ever worked with at the Bank. Tami brings broad experience from her post-Bank of the San Juan's life as a successful business owner and industrialist. She's a superstar, and we're very pleased to have her back on-board.'
