Since 1980, for more than 40 years, we have been supporting and advocating the success of community banks.
Formed in 1980 as a full services noncompeting correspondent bank, Bankers’ Bank of the West provides high-quality products and services as well as deep industry expertise to hundreds of community bank clients in the western states and Great Plains region.
Our community bank clients derive value-added benefits including responsive customer service, problem-solving assistance, and a pricing strategy designed to boost the client bank’s bottom line. Our employees, many of whom have a decade or more of experience in the banking industry, operate out of two locations — BBW’s headquarters in Denver, Colorado, and a field office in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The aim of keeping community banks strong and relevant has driven everything Bankers’ Bank of the West has done since 1980 — and it will remain our purpose for many years to come.
Meet our Executive Team
William A. Mitchell Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Bill has been the president and chief executive officer of BBW since 2007. Earlier in his three-decade banking career, he was the president of two other community banks and a branch manager for a national financial services firm. Bill served on the governor-appointed Colorado State Banking Board for 16 years, including two years as chairman.
An active proponent of the nation’s community banks and the industry associations that support them, he is a current member of the Pacific Bankers Management Institute Board and a participant on the American Bankers Association correspondent bank working group. He served as board chairman of the Western States Director Education Foundation before assuming his current role as that organization’s secretary/treasurer. Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in management and organization from the University of Colorado at Denver.
Click to watch a special message from our president and CEO, Bill Mitchell
Anne Benigsen
SVP–Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer
With over three decades of expertise in technology, cybersecurity, privacy, and risk management, Anne has been with the Bank since 2015 and is the CISO/CIO and President of its affiliate, CivITas Bank Solutions, a trusted ally for community banks navigating their cybersecurity and technology challenges since 2020. Drawing on a career spanning both private and public sectors, Anne brings insight and strategic leadership to BBW and its customer banks.
Anne, a recognized authority in her field, holds numerous certifications in cybersecurity, technology, and privacy. She is a sought-after speaker at banking and security conferences and frequently advises private and public organizations on the critical intersections of cybersecurity, innovation, and regulatory compliance.
Jeff Benson
EVP & Chief Operating Officer
In his current role at Bankers’ Bank of the West, Jeff works with all organization divisions to direct strategic initiatives while overseeing the marketing and HR departments. Additionally, he is the CEO of the consulting divisions of the holding company. His 22-year tenure with BBW, experience in lending and correspondent services, understanding of community banks, and knowledge of BBW functions make him uniquely qualified for this leadership role. Jeff’s bachelor’s degree is from Montana State University; he is a graduate from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado. In addition, he is a graduate of the GSBC Executive Development Institute program for C-suite bank officers and a former GSBC Alumni Advisory Board member. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Aptys Solutions, a financial technology company for correspondent banks.
Chris Hill
EVP & Chief Financial Officer
Chris oversees financial reporting, liquidity and funding, enterprise risk management, compliance, and audit for BBW and its affiliates. Chris launched his community banking career after college, gaining experience in credit, lending, and bank information technology. He represents Bankers’ Bank of the West’s advisory seat on the Colorado Bankers Association board of directors. He serves on the advisory boards for Young Americans Bank and the ABA’s Risk Management School and chairs the ABA’s Correspondent Bank Working Group. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado. He completed the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado and the ABA Advanced Risk Management programs and is currently participating in the GSBC Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers.
Paul Harrison
SVP & Chief Credit Officer
Paul has played a vital role in credit administration, special assets, and loan underwriting for BBW since 2009. A longtime banker with a strong lending background, Paul also serves as the correspondent services officer for Arizona-based banks. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Bankers Foundation of Colorado, a charitable organization. Paul has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Northern Colorado.
Jim Swanson
President–Bank Strategies LLC
Before becoming president of Bank Strategies LLC, Jim Swanson held the positions of community bank chief credit officer, a director of compliance and manager of loan services for an accounting and bank consulting firm, and a commissioned bank examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. In his current role as head of Bank Strategies, which became a Bankers’ Bank of the West company in 2018, Jim brings decades of banking experience, balanced perspective, and highly developed skills to every consulting assignment he undertakes for community bank clients. Jim holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska.
Debbie Wendt
SVP & Chief Payments Officer
Debbie’s duties include oversight of the bank’s federal funds, and operational functions. She is the BSA and security officer for BBW as well as a member of its information technology and business continuity committees. In 2020, Debbie played a pivotal role in the successful deployment of BRIDGE, a modernized online cash management portal for community banks. She served on the Faster Payments Task Force; she is a current U.S. Faster Payments Council participant and a member of the WesPay payments association board of directors. A graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, she maintains Accredited ACH Professional status.
Scott Wintenburg
SVP & Chief Growth Officer
With 10 years of experience in financial consulting and account management, Scott joined BBW in 2006 as a credit analyst. He was promoted less than two years later to correspondent lender and mentor for the bank’s relationship management team. He became head of BBW’s Bank Card Division in 2019, subsequently taking on the additional duties of business development and production. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Regis University; he graduated with honors from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.