Incoming Country Bank President and CEO Mary McGovern. Photo courtesy of Country Bank

Ware-based Country Bank is planning to put up a branch in Springfield by 2025 to establish a physical presence there amid growth opportunities and intensifying competition in the Western Massachusetts market.

Country Bank’s branch footprint has only gone as far as Ludlow and Willbraham, and now the bank said it is looking for a small location in Springfield to build roots in the community and complement its current commercial lending activities through its business development office in the area.

“We’re looking to fill that gap out to Springfield as well, with a possible location. We are looking at smaller locations, not huge square footage, so that we can be in the market and be seen like our competitors are,” Mary McGovern, Country Bank’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, said. “[We will open it] probably not this year, but in 2025. We’re looking for a potential location there to support our expansion and get a solid name recognition in the community.”

McGovern, who is also the incoming president of the bank effective April 1, said that while the bank is currently offering online banking for the Springfield market, there are still customers in the area who want to come in a branch and do banking in person.

She said community banks like Country Bank in high growth areas such as Central and Western Massachusetts are trying to establish deeper roots in their communities to be competitive as banks like JPMorgan Chase are expanding aggressively in their markets and digital-only banks trying to get a share of depositors in their areas.

“I think for community banks, we are investing in the actual building, having employees that will service people that want in-person banking, McGovern said. “There’s no question that the usage of digital has increased, but for certain life-changing things like a mortgage, people still want to be face-to-face with a banker, and not do it online.”

The $1.8 billion-asset Country Bank has two commercial lending offices in Worcester and Springfield and full-service branches in Belchertown, Brimfield, Charlton, Leicester, Ludlow, Palmer, Paxton, Worcester, Ware, West Brookfield and Wilbraham.