Bo Jackson, a famous two-sport star in professional baseball and football, is branching into banking in Burr Ridge where he has had a home since his days with the Chicago White Sox.

Jackson, whose given first name is Vincent, is a busy businessman these days. That includes being a partner in N’Genuity Enterprises with Valerie Marie LittleChief, a Native American of Kiowa and Comanche heritage, in a food services company based in Scottsdale, Ariz.

One venture of that company is with Mrs. Smith’s Bakeries, a leading frozen pie baker. Mrs. Smith’s introduced Bo Jackson’s Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Pies, made from his mother’s recipes. The pies can be found at in-store bakeries of Wal-Mart, Super Target, Meijer and other stores across the country.

A spokesman for Jackson said he was “out of pocket” and declined any comment or request for interviews regarding his investments in the bank and in the Bo Jackson Elite Sports Complex in Lockport.

Roy Thygesen, president and CEO of the proposed Burr Ridge Bank and Trust, said the idea to open a bank came from a group of area residents.

“They felt the personal attention, local decision-making, and the successful relationships they built with other banks had all but disappeared—these attitudes becoming some of the collateral damage from all the bank merger and acquisition activity.”

Thygesen, who has spent 28 years in banking and had been with Harris Bank for 14 years, said the investors in the new bank strongly believe that bigger isn’t necessarily better, particularly because almost all of the recent technological innovations in banking can be incorporated into a small bank through outsourcing and third-party venders.

One example is a proposed arrangement with Stephen Morrissette, president and CEO of the First Community Bank of Joliet which opened in 2004. Thygesen said he plans to use of the “backroom services” such as technical support.

Morrissette is one of the 20 Burr Ridge Bank and Trust organizers who have contributed $11 million.

Thygesen said plans are to raise another $18 to $22 million.

The new bank has not created a Web site yet, because Thygessen said the organizers do not want to act prematurely prior to receiving approval from state and federal banking organizations. Their hope is that approval will be received by late March or early April.

Office space has been leased at 7020 County Line Road, just north of I-55. He said organizers wanted to be near the new Burr Ridge Center but not in it because the new bank would need a drive-through facility which would not be appropriate for the Center.