Times Observer file photo

Northwest announced this week that it will close more than 40 locations.

In a Monday release, Chairman, President, and CEO Ronald Seiffert cited the changing ways people do their banking as a driver in the closure of 42 full-services offices, one free-standing drive-through, and one business office by the end of the year.

One of those locations is in Warren County — the Tidioute branch.

“Our customers’ banking preferences continue to evolve to favor a more digital banking experience and the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified and accelerated these preferences,” Seiffert said. “This branch optimization plan reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure we are well positioned in our industry to provide the community bank experience that is valued by our customer base while also enhancing our strong digital and mobile banking presence.”

The closures represent about 20 percent of the company’s locations — 205 full-service offices and eight free-standing drive-through locations — in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. They “are spread across our footprint and are not concentrated in any one market,” according to the release. “Because customer service through our retail network teams is a hallmark of our company, in most cases the offices we’re closing are in close proximity to another Northwest location.”

See Wednesday’s edition of the Times Observer for complete coverage.