LARNED — After 125 years, The First State Bank & Trust Co., founded in Larned in 1896, is getting a new name. Effective Feb. 22, this long-established Kansas business will open under the name Fusion Bank. 

“We are very proud of our heritage and our long history as a strong Kansas bank,” said Douglas Briggs, president. “It is fascinating to see photos of the bank from our early days.  Kansas itself had only been a state for 35 years. The streets of Larned were dirt-covered and traveled by horse-drawn wagons.” 

For most of the bank’s 125 years, it was not inconvenient that so many other banks in the state, and in the country, were also named First State Bank, or some variation that began with the word “First.” But once branch banking was approved in the 1980s, bank business territories began to overlap, and similar names became confusing. 

Add to that the explosion of the internet and mobile world in more recent years, and the confusion multiplied, Briggs said. 

Choosing a new name for a 125-year entity could be a daunting task, but the team knew what they wanted the name to represent.  

“The new name has meaning for us. In order to be the best bank for our customers, we work to create a fusion of traditional classic banking with outstanding online and mobile technology,” said Sharon Lessard, executive vice president. “Our bank is a fusion of personal and digital; traditional and technical; heritage and future; local and everywhere. Additionally, we wanted to keep our iconic ‘Flying F’ logo, and so we were hoping for a meaningful name that begins with the letter ‘F.’ Fusion Bank was the perfect solution.” 

The newly named Fusion Bank has locations in Larned, Pratt and Overland Park, and can be found at www.fusion.bank.