Esgar Acosta Senior Vice President and Head of Community Inclusion & Engagement Alpine Bank How did you get started in the banking industry? My journey with Alpine Bank began in 1996 when I was one of the first recipients of the Alpine Bank Hispanic Scholarship. That opportunity helped me attend Colorado Mountain College (CMC), earn an associate degree and become a certified police officer in Colorado. Since then, my career has spanned law enforcement, education and community leadership. Before entering banking, I worked at Carquest Auto Parts while applying to various law enforcement positions. I was invited by Rachel Gerlach — then president of Alpine Bank’s Eagle branch and a high school classmate — to consider a career in banking. At first, I said no, I couldn’t imagine being behind a teller line all day. But when she explained she was looking for a lender and that I’d be trained, I decided to give it a try. I joined Alpine Bank in 2006 and haven’t looked back. What is the most important thing you’ve learned from a career in banking? Over the years, I’ve served on more than 15 nonprofit boards and now lead efforts to strengthen equity and outreach across Colorado. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in banking is that, at the end of the day, it’s just people doing business with people — a message our leadership at Alpine Bank continues to reinforce. Tell us about your family. I live in Gypsum, Colorado, with my wife, Karla, a first-grade teacher working on her master’s degree, and our two children, Luna and Gael. Luna is taking college courses through CMC while still in high school, and Gael is active in sports and school organizations. What topic could you give a 20-minute presentation on without any preparation? If you asked me to speak for 20 minutes without preparation, I’d talk about Alpine Bank or financial literacy — topics I’m passionate about and often present in schools. What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is “Remember the Titans.” It’s full of life lessons — and who doesn’t love a good football story? Tell us something about yourself most people don’t know. Something most people don’t know about me is that I’ve had many jobs and careers before discovering my passion for banking. I served as a police officer in Aspen and later as a reserve officer for the Weld County Sheriff’s Department, where I was part of the Warrant Task Force Unit. Mari Dhono Regional Operations Officer Bank of Colorado What is the most important thing you’ve learned from a career in banking? The most important thing I’ve learned from my career in banking is that success comes from a balance of knowledge, adaptability and persistence. Banking has taught me the importance of being open-minded when managing risks, continuously improving my understanding of financial products and economic trends, and embracing innovations like AI to stay ahead of change. At the same time, I’ve seen how transformational leadership and going above and beyond for customers create lasting trust and stronger relationships. Ultimately, my biggest lesson is that growth is a journey. If you don’t give up and always strive to be better, you not only achieve your own goals but also help your team, customers and organization succeed. What makes your bank unique? What makes Bank of Colorado unique is our ability to combine the strength and resources of a large financial institution with the personal service and community focus of a local bank. We pride ourselves on long-term relationships, not just transactions, and we empower our teams to know our customers personally. That blend of stability, innovation and hometown values truly sets us apart. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding aspect of my job as a regional operations officer at Bank of Colorado is knowing that my work directly supports our teams and the communities we serve. It’s not just about keeping operations running smoothly; it’s about creating an environment where employees feel equipped and empowered to provide the best service to our customers. At the end of the day, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how the work behind the scenes translates into real impact of helping families, supporting local businesses and strengthening the trust our communities place in us. That sense of purpose and connection is what makes this role so meaningful for me. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to be an accountant. It’s a chance to crunch numbers and connect with people, helping them make sense of their finances in a way that actually makes their day easier. Tell us something about yourself most people don’t know. I moved to the United States in 2012, right after college and without speaking any English, just to experience what life here was like. Here I am 13 years later, loving every moment of life and thriving in my career at Bank of Colorado. 13 Colorado Banker
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