Latest news with #AcademyBank
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Academy Bank Named One of America's Most Innovative Companies by FORTUNE for 2025
Honor recognizes companies driving industry transformation KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Bank – a full-service community bank and wholly owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corp. – has once again earned national recognition for its commitment to innovation, landing a spot on FORTUNE magazine's prestigious list of America's Most Innovative Companies for 2025. This marks the second time in three years the Kansas City-based bank has been honored, having also received the accolade in 2023. Now in its third year, FORTUNE's annual list celebrates 300 U.S.-based companies that are transforming industries and setting new standards in innovation. Academy Bank is one of just 10 companies in Kansas and Missouri to be included in the 2025 rankings. "We're incredibly proud to be recognized once again by FORTUNE as an innovation leader," said Paul Holewinski, CEO of Academy Bank. "This award affirms our belief that forward-thinking solutions, both for our clients and within our internal operations, are key to long-term success." The America's Most Innovative Companies list, developed by FORTUNE in collaboration with global research firm Statista, is based on evaluations in three equally weighted categories: Product innovation – Examines a company's products and services for design, usability and more Process innovation – Looks at a wide range of processes in a company, such as procurement, sales and marketing Innovation culture – Measures the creativity and inherent sense of entrepreneurship within a company, primarily based on associate/employee evaluations According to FORTUNE, the 300 U.S.-based honorees on its 2025 ranking collectively generated over $12.6 trillion in revenue, with a median revenue of $22 billion. "This recognition is a direct reflection of our associates' unwavering commitment to fresh thinking and finding better ways of serving our communities," Holewinski added. Academy Bank joins a distinguished group of innovators across various industries on the Fortune Most Innovative Companies list, reinforcing its dedication to providing a superior banking experience through fast, easy and personal service. Academy Bank's innovative approach to banking emphasizes convenience, security and providing a seamless client experience. Investments in AI and automation, including robotic process automation, translate to cutting-edge banking solutions that are accessible, secure and simple. Academy Bank is consistently recognized for excellence in banking by a variety of respected local and national organizations. Recent Academy Bank accolades include a 2025 HCM Distinction Award for Talent at Work from global human capital management technology provider ADP, Fortune's Best Business CDs" and "Top Mortgage Lender" from the Kansas City Business Journal. The institution also won a Silver Stevie Award in the 2024 American Business Awards for the redesign of the Academy Bank website. About Academy BankAcademy Bank is a full-service commercial bank with $2.9 billion in assets and more than 75 banking centers in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. Academy Bank provides a wide range of financial solutions for business and individuals, including commercial and business banking, treasury management and mortgage services. Academy Bank is privately held and family-owned by Dickinson Financial Corporation, a $4.3 billion holding company headquartered in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Academy Bank's sister bank, Armed Forces Bank, headquartered in Leavenworth, Kansas, proudly serves active and retired military and civilian clients around the world with more on-base locations than any military bank in the country. For more information, visit Member FDIC View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Academy Bank
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Family-owned business brings rolled ice cream and Colombian coffee to Pueblo Walmart
Puebloans may not have heard of Cream N Bean yet, but the owner of the new ice cream and coffee shop inside Pueblo's Dillon Drive Walmart hopes to expand to many other Walmart Supercenters, starting with the one in Pueblo West. Located at 4200 Dillon Drive on the grocery side of Walmart right next to the Academy Bank branch, Cream N Bean opened in February. The shop offers homemade rolled ice cream and Columbian coffee plus a variety of other beverages. Cream N Bean Owner Joe Giovinazzo, his wife Stephanie, and their daughter and son-in-law Bailey and Roger Hines offer a different kind of ice cream and coffee shop where homemade ice cream is spread in a thin layer and then rolled on a cold plate 20 degrees below zero. The shop also offers its own blend of medium-roast coffee that is shipped directly from a farm in Colombia. "We make the ice cream base in-house using our own recipe. It is made fresh every day and there are no preservatives so it is the healthiest way to eat ice cream," Joe Giovinazzo told the Chieftain. The base ice cream is added to a cold plate and extra ingredients are "rolled" in like fresh strawberries, cherries, or bananas, while the customer watches the transformation. The result features curled-up spiral rolls of ice cream that are as artistic as they are tasty. Pueblo's favorite treat so far is the strawberry cheesecake featuring fresh strawberries, cheesecake, vanilla ice cream and a graham cracker topping. Other varieties include cookies and cream, Rootie Tootie, Rocky Road, S'mores and more. Each week the shop offers four new specials, or customers can create their own ice cream delight by choosing from ingredients on hand. "We hope customers will check back to see the specials and continue to try different flavors. Business has been really good so far and we have several regulars," Joe Giovinzanno explained. The biggest hurdle for the new business has been brand recognition, he said, plus those who spot the shop after waiting in line to check out their groceries may not have time to explore what's inside. "Once they stop to try it, they keep coming back," he said. The house blend coffee is offered in lattes, espresso, iced and other varieties, plus there are teas, slushes and lemonades available for those who aren't coffee drinkers. The family plans to open its Cream N Bean inside the Pueblo West Walmart, 78 N. McCulloch, in May. The dream for the family is to one day see the Cream N Bean brand as plentiful inside Walmart stores as Starbucks is in Target stores, Giovinzanno said. The Giovinzannos moved to Pueblo 1 1/2 years ago. They operated a similar rolled ice cream shop in Oklahoma but the location wasn't ideal. "When I saw that Walmart had an opening I thought that would be a great location that has a lot of traffic. It took about eight months to get everything ironed out with Walmart," Giovinzanno said. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Find out more by visiting the Cream N Bean Facebook page. More: Cactus Flower named back-to-back Slopper Tour champion in Pueblo Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@ or via X at Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's new Cream N Bean shop offers rolled ice cream, coffee
