Northwest Bank
Jim Colestro
“I know there are great places all over Central Ohio, but we have the best neighborhood, and I have the greatest neighbors in the world.”
Those are the words of resident Jim Colestro, who chose to make Gahanna home for himself and his family more than five years ago, after relocating to the Columbus region.
Colestro was the first Northwest Bank employee to move to Ohio, shortly before the Bank transitioned its corporate offices to the area. Now, with plans underway to open the Bank’s first three branches in Central Ohio next year, including one in Gahanna, his move has come to represent more than a new address; it marked the beginning of a meaningful investment in the community, both personally and professionally.
“I’m not going anywhere as long as my neighbors live here,” he said. “Gahanna just felt like a fit, and we made a great decision to move here.”
Colestro is Northwest Bank’s Chief Retail Lending Officer, overseeing the Bank’s consumer lending, small business lending, and payments. He has grown his career with the company over the past 18 years, as Northwest Bank has grown to become a top 100 bank in the United States (by assets).
“We are still rooted in community banking, taking care of customers, and knowing their names,” explained Colestro. “We are also pretty proud of our growth story over the years and getting to the point where we are now.”
Northwest Bank’s Gahanna location will be at the former PNC Bank at 191 Granville St.
“I took a ride with a colleague of mine, Urich Bowers, who is our Chief Consumer Banking Officer, and he was a little newer to Columbus,” Colestro recalled. “Living in Gahanna, I had driven by that location 100 – or 1,000 times, probably – and I just pointed to it and was like, ‘If I was putting branches here – right there. It’s a bank. It’s ready.’ It just seemed to make sense to us.”
Now, the entire Northwest Bank team is ready to integrate itself into the Gahanna community, well before the new branch’s anticipated opening in the summer of 2026.
“Our goal is to meet with local organizations, meet with community leaders, talk about what’s important to us here, and what’s important to them,” Colestro added. “We certainly won’t wait until the branch is open. We’ll get started now.”
Those meetings are already underway, with the City’s Economic Development team meeting Ian Bailey, the company’s Head of External Communications, in August.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Northwest Bank to Gahanna,” said Jeff Gottke, Gahanna’s Director of Economic Development. “Their decision to open a branch here reflects both the strength of our local market and the vibrant community we continue to build. After meeting with Ian, it is clear they share our commitment to thoughtful growth and long-term investment. We’re confident this new branch will be a valuable resource for both residents and the business community alike.”
The Bank’s Gahanna branch is set to open around the same time as the additional locations in Westerville and New Albany. While many banking services have moved online, Northwest Bank sees physical branches as an essential part of its growth strategy – providing a local presence that supports the personal, customer-focused approach the Bank has upheld for nearly 130 years.
Larson Karle Architects
Rendering of Northwest Bank's Gahanna branch
“People can do a lot of banking online, and we have a lot of great tools that allow them to do that, but being able to go into a physical branch and have a real-life person who knows who you are, gives you advice, helps you figure out your needs, and helps you solve problems is really important,” said Bailey.
Now, as both Bailey and Colestro look ahead, there is a shared sense of optimism and eagerness to grow alongside Gahanna and to contribute in meaningful ways to the vibrant community and its residents.
Dan Pearlman is the Communications Manager for the City of Gahanna.
