Several members of the Lake City Bank team celebrated the opening of the new Lake City Bank building in Milford on Wednesday, Nov 20, 2019, with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. Pictured from left are Carrie Trim; Nancy Hernandez; Cheryl Luke, branch manager; David Findlay, president/CEO; Stephanie Leniski, incoming head of retail banking; and Kevin Deardorff, head of retail banking. (InkFreeNews photo by Keith Knepp)

MILFORD — Bank customers and curious residents alike walked through the doors of the new Lake City Bank building in Milford on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Located at the intersection of Higbee and Emeline streets, the new building officially opened to its customers Monday, Nov. 4, moving its operations from it’s former location a few blocks to the north.

On Wednesday, dozens of people enjoyed a complimentary lunch of sandwiches, chips and cookies while exploring various parts of the new bank. During the open house, an official ribbon cutting ceremony took place with the oversized scissors handled by the branch’s manager, Cheryl Luke.

“We are excited that the bank has invested in this community,” said Luke before cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

The bank’s President and CEO David Findlay also spoke briefly to the assemblage, noting that the bank is committed to serving smaller communities such as Milford. “This new building is a statement about what small communities mean to us,” stated Findlay.

Numerous residents came to see the new Lake City Bank building in Milford during its open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Lake City Bank originally came to town in January 1984, according to Mary Horan, vice president and director of marketing. The bank originated in Warsaw in 1872 and maintains its corporate headquarters in that city.

The third oldest state chartered bank in Indiana, Lake City has been a mainstay in northern Indiana for almost 150 years. It now expanded into the Indianapolis market and has approximately 50 offices across the Hoosier state, with total assets of $4.8 billion. Lake City Bank has been a subsidiary of Lakeland Financial Corporation since the 1990s.

The new Lake City Bank branch in Milford replaces its former location which was on the corner of Higbee and Syracuse streets.

Lake City Bank’s Milford Branch Manager Cheryl Luke, right, speaks with one of the attendees of the grand opening of the new building on the corner of Higbee and Emeline streets in Milford.