New branch brings comprehensive financial planning and trust services closer to clients across central and western Kansas
GREAT BEND, Kan. – The Trust Company has expanded its regional presence with a permanent Great Bend office, bringing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and trust and estate services closer to clients across central and western Kansas.
The independent, boutique wealth management firm opened the branch at 2009 Forest Ave. after years of serving the area without a traditional office. Led by Mackenzie Blakeslee, vice president, director of financial planning and Great Bend branch manager, and financial planner Katelyn Levesque, the office creates a local point of connection for individuals, families, and businesses seeking guidance through many stages of their financial lives.
The Great Bend location grew from personal and professional ties to Barton County. Blakeslee’s husband is from Ellinwood, and his work brought their family back to the area six years ago. Levesque’s fiance is a Great Bend native. Both professionals built careers with The Trust Company before establishing this local presence.
Blakeslee has worked for the firm for more than seven years, including more than five years remotely. When her growing family made a home office less practical, she spent approximately a year and a half working from office space inside the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. The Trust Company continued looking for the right location and timing before opening its own branch.
‘Community involvement is something we value, and it’s really at the heart of what we do,’ Blakeslee said. ‘We’re excited to get rooted, be here in Great Bend and grow here.’
Founded in Manhattan in 1992 by CEO Mark Knackendoffel, The Trust Company now serves approximately 1,600 clients and manages about $2 billion in client assets. In addition to Great Bend, the firm has offices in Manhattan, Lawrence and Marysville, Kansas, and Columbia, Missouri, while serving clients across the United States and around the world.
The firm’s services extend beyond investment management. Its team helps clients with financial, retirement and estate planning and can serve as a trustee or executor. That breadth allows the company to work with clients through changing seasons of life and, in some cases, continue serving their beneficiaries and heirs. The Trust Company also helps employers evaluate retirement plan options, including plans designed for small businesses and sole employees.
For Barton County, the new office adds specialized professional services and expands access to face-to-face financial guidance. The investment supports the Business and People Retention goals of the Chamber’s Elevate GBK Beyond Today strategic plan by helping experienced professionals build their careers locally while strengthening the services available to residents and employers throughout the region.
The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce celebrated the larger milestone with a ribbon cutting on Sept. 3. The community is also invited to an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Great Bend office, where guests may meet the local team and visiting staff from the company’s Manhattan headquarters while enjoying refreshments.
About The Trust Company
The Trust Company is located at 2009 Forest Ave. in Great Bend. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 620-603-1135, email [email protected], or visit thetrustco.com. The company can also be found on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Join The Chamber Community
Businesses and organizations interested in being part of the Great Bend Chamber community and its work to support business and community development may contact Member Success Manager Julie Mazouch at [email protected] or 620-792-2401. Chamber members interested in hosting a ribbon cutting or celebrating a business milestone are also encouraged to contact Mazouch.
About the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce
The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce serves as the leading visionary advocate and voice for the local business community, dedicated to enhancing the economic climate of the Great Bend area. Through a strategic focus on business advocacy, community marketing, and future-forward investment, the Chamber fosters an environment where existing members can reach their goals while new enterprises are welcomed and empowered to grow. By delivering high-value services and cultivating vital partnerships, the Great Bend Chamber remains committed to providing its members with the best possible impact for their investment and ensuring a thriving, connected marketplace for all. Visit greatbend.org.
