INNISFAIL – ATB recently marked a special milestone.
Friends, customers, staff, management and special guests gathered in Innisfail on Friday (Sept. 28) to celebrate ATB Financial’s 80th birthday, commemorating its official opening on Sept. 29, 1938.
“It’s a huge milestone,” said Heather Kirkham, manager at ATB Financial in Innisfail. “We’ve continued to be relevant in Alberta and ATB Financial actually invests within Alberta.”
Originally known as the Alberta Treasury Branches, the business is known as ATB Financial today.
The Innisfail branch first opened on Dec. 1, 1947, noted Kirkham.
Celebrations began early in the week and continued until Sept. 28 when they wrapped up with a birthday cake and a special guest.
“It’s been a weeklong celebration. It’s been awesome,” said Kirkham, noting different ways they marked the milestone.
“Ballpoint pens were invented in 1938 and on Monday we gave out 80 ATB Financial ballpoint pens. On Tuesday, we gave out 80 roses to 80 random customers who came in that day,” she added, noting beef on a bun and chocolate chip cookies were given out on Wednesday and several chocolate bars such as Coffee Crisp and Smarties, invented in 1938 as well, were given out on Thursday.
A special guest, Innisfail resident Rose Winters, joined the celebrations on Friday.
“Today, we are fortunate to have a local resident who shares the exact same birthday as ATB Financial,” said Kirkham, noting she is one of seven Alberta citizens that share the same birthday. “We feel very fortunate to have a local community resident who we can celebrate with. We have a special gift for her from ATB Financial and she is our honorary cake cutter.”
Winters said she was surprised to receive an invitation from ATB to celebrate her birthday with them.
“I wouldn’t have ever expected a surprise like this at the bank,” said Winters. “I got here and now I can go on for the next 10 (years).
“My first bank account when I was 12 was at the (Alberta) Treasury Branch in Olds,” she added.
Kirkham said they were happy to celebrate the milestone with Winters and with fellow Albertans they’ve served for 80 years.
“We feel very privileged to be a part of the community,” said Kirkham. “It’s our way of giving back and saying thank you to our community.”
