Northern Interstate Bank celebrates 125 years with community ribbon cutting

Northern Interstate Bank marked 125 years with a ribbon cutting in Crystal Falls that brought together bank employees, executives, board members and local civic partners at the branch. The photo from the celebration showed Amery Saylor, Kaylee West, Nycki Reynolds, Gary Fish, Billie Jo Waite, Alex Manier, Lynnette Fende, Cindy Casagranda, Jeff Syrjanen, Susan Flood-Dziubinski and Bob Flood from the bank, along with Brett Smithson of the Iron County Economic Chamber Alliance, Tara Peltoma and Tammy Hendrickson from the City of Crystal Falls, and ICECA office manager Louisa Kniivila.

The milestone reaches back to 1901, when Northern Interstate Bank says its history began in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The bank describes itself as an independent community bank, and its locations page lists offices in Norway, Crystal Falls, Iron Mountain, North Dickinson in Sagola and Powers. Public-facing listings currently differ, with one page showing five branch offices and eight ATM locations and another describing six banking offices and 10 ATMs, a reminder that the institution’s footprint has been adjusted and updated over time as it has expanded service across the region.

The anniversary was not limited to a single photo stop. Northern Interstate Bank promoted a three-day 125-year celebration June 10, June 11 and June 12 with branch events in Powers, North Dickinson, Iron Mountain, Crystal Falls and Norway. The customer-appreciation lineup included cupcakes, sub sandwiches, hot dogs, brats, chips, pop, water and ice cream items, turning the milestone into a systemwide open house for customers from across the bank’s service area.

The Crystal Falls appearance also reflected continuity in the bank’s leadership. In January 2022, the board appointed Gary Fish president and chief lending officer and added him to the board, while Tim Mattson remained chief executive officer. With Fish now among the people representing the bank at the anniversary and city staff and chamber partners in the room, the celebration underscored how deeply Northern Interstate Bank remains tied to daily business life in Iron County and the surrounding Upper Peninsula communities it serves.