First National Bank Alaska will break ground for a new branch on July 24 at the AAFES Mall on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Bank chairman and president D.H. Cuddy and Vice Chair Betsy Lawer will preside at the ceremony, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. The name of the new branch will be announced at the proceedings.

The new 3,950-square-foot branch will have a staff of seven and include two drive-up lanes, a drive-up ATM, and night drop depository. The branch will also house the first full-function customer kiosk in the First National system, where customers can handle routine banking transactions online without teller assistance.

“Customer convenience is high on the bank’s priority list, and it’s what’s driving the move from our present JBER location to this new branch,” said Senior Vice President Cheri Gillian, director of corporate communication and external affairs. “Our present ‘Elmendorf’ branch building, built in 1974, was next to the base commissary. When the commissary moved to its new location, we soon started looking at how to get closer to our customers. This new branch will do that.”

First National has a history of nearly 70 years of serving Alaska’s military, beginning in 1943 with a facility on Adak, providing banking services to soldiers and civilian workers stationed there during World War II.

Cole & Thompson Architects, headquartered in Anchorage, designed the new JBER branch. MCN Construction Inc., also of Anchorage, is the primary contractor for branch construction, scheduled for completion in late 2012. Estimated construction cost is $2.1 million.

Established is 1922, First National Bank Alaska is the state’s largest Alaskan-owned and operated bank, with 30 branches in 18 communities throughout Alaska.