Who We Are: Cultivating Identity
At Sunflower Bank, we’re experiencing great growth. Since our founding in Kansas in 1892, we've become a full-service financial institution with locations in 10 states spanning personal, commercial, and mortgage lines of business.
Growing as Sunflower Bank
While “Sunflower” in our name may have its roots as the state flower of Kansas, it has grown and evolved with us.
In 2019, we updated the Sunflower Bank logo icon to reflect our expanded presence—transforming it into a combined sun and mountain, symbolizing our growing organization with deep roots across our geographies. At the same time, we revised our logo font so that the same font was used in the Sunflower Bank, First National 1870, and Guardian Mortgage logos to create a visual connection between our family of brands. Both employees and our communities embraced these changes, as everyone could see themselves reflected in our brand and as part of a larger brand family.
In 2025, we transitioned our mortgage services brand from Guardian Mortgage to Sunflower Bank, simplifying our name to reflect our ability to serve all our customers’ banking needs under one roof. In New Mexico, banking and mortgage teams continue to serve their local communities as First National 1870. In doing so, we honor our heritage as the first bank in the Southwest while providing the complete financial solutions of Sunflower Bank.
Sunflower Bank is committed to delivering top-tier banking and mortgage services and is inspired by the sunflower to continuously grow and innovate. We embrace the sunflower as our core identity and find relevance and significance in the sunflower across our regions and businesses.
Celebrating The Sunflower
The common sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) or one of the sunflower's 70 species is found in each of Sunflower Bank's regions. In the nature of the sunflower, we find parallels to the nature of our organization. As Sunflower Bank we are:
Rooted In Strength:
Just as the sunflower's deep roots anchor and support its growth, Sunflower Bank is founded on deep-rooted values and stability in the financial industry. Our strong foundation allows us to grow and serve our customers.
Propelled by Growth:
Like sunflowers, we continue to grow dynamically and robustly, strategically expanding with a model of sustainable growth. This is supported with a solid infrastructure, directing opportunities to benefit our customers.
Individuals in a Greater Whole:
Each sunflower head comprises thousands of individual flowers, like our bank where every team member contributes to our success. From finance to operations, everyone plays a crucial role, just as each petal and seed contribute to the sunflower's vitality.
Creating Possibility:
It’s our mission and our mindset. Like sunflowers producing a thousand seeds, which can be eaten or planted, we empower our clients to thrive now and sow seeds for future success.
Community Focused:
Sunflowers form interconnected communities, attracting pollinators and enhancing genetic diversity. In the same way, we foster community within our organization and beyond, collaborating to create positive change through community-based banking and regional leadership.
We are Creating Possibility, sustaining our communities and becoming a stronger whole. Together we will continue to serve our customers and employees as we plant seeds on our path of growth.
Regional Landscape
A wide variety of sunflower species grow across Sunflower Bank's regional landscape, including:
Arizona - Helianthus arizonensis
California - Helianthus californicus
Colorado - Nuttall’s sunflower
Idaho - Helianthus annuus
Kansas - Helianthus annuus
Michigan - Helianthus divaricatus L.
New Mexico - Helianthus paradoxus
Oregon - Helianthus bolanderi
Texas - Maximilian sunflower
Washington - Helianthus annuus
Fun Facts About Sunflowers
- Sunflowers are rooted in American soil, originating in North America.
The sunflower is a symbol of heritage and pride, an economic driver or both, depending on location.
The common sunflower is an economic asset. Its leaves are used as fodder, flowers for yellow dye and seeds for oil and foods. Throughout our footprint, you’ll find sunflower farms boosting the economy with these sustainable plants.
Not all sunflowers are yellow! Some varieties can have red and purple hues.
From late June through August, you’ll find sunflower festivals popping up in communities throughout our footprint.
Sunflowers can grow to incredible heights, but some varieties don’t get taller than 2 ft. The world’s tallest sunflower was recorded at 30 ft. 1in.
Both Arizona and California have sunflower species named after them (Helianthus arizonensis and Helianthus californicus).
Bolander’s sunflower, also known as serpentine sunflowers, are native to Oregon and California.
There are five kinds of sunflowers native to Colorado.
The Maximilian sunflower is found throughout Santa Fe and Albuquerque. New Mexico also boasts the puzzle sunflower.
The common sunflower brightens the landscape of Idaho, Kansas, and Michigan, among others.