Gold Banc has largely left its bank subsidiaries and a thrift–across Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri–autonomous in terms of decision making and administration. The extra administrative work that resulted was viewed by management, until now, as a necessary burden to avoid uniformity. But the CompuNet Engineering solution is anticipated to relieve the work of its bankers, giving them even more time to devote to customers.

"As we make mergers and acquisitions, we are leaving bank names alone. It’s going against the current of water that says we need to have one bank company name. (But) when you start centralizing decisions, you begin to look like the big companies. Why do we want to emulate the large nationals? We want to empower local decision makers, leaving in place its local charter and board of directors," Gullion said.

He added that he hoped the $4.3-million-acquisition of privately held CompuNet would be a profit center for the bank, because not only did the firm work for 10-to-15 other banks, it provides technology services for about 50 other nonbank companies. The hope is that the firm can pick up even more in the Midwest area.

Gullion said he wanted to continue to grow into states contiguous to Kansas, and beef up the company’s presence in Oklahoma and Missouri, where there is only one Gold Banc office. But, he added, the focus of the mostly commercial-oriented bank is not entirely based on geography.

"We think there’s a retail strategy that’s much more dynamic than brick and mortar," said Gullion of the Internet. He said part of that strategy is to use the technology to bring more of the bank’s products to consumers. Sometime this week or next, the bank will unveil a new interactive capability on its Web page so customers can pay bills, "not just move money," he said.