From the TOP

 Alice P. Frazier

​  ICBA Chair
  President & CEO, Potomac Bank, Charles Town, WV 

The Lasting Community Bank Legacy

Community banks stand the test of time. In this month’s issue, we’re celebrating banks that have been around for 100, 150, 200 years, and that’s an achievement to be honored—but it’s not surprising.

Because community banks dive deep into connection. That intention to know our customers, to know our communities, makes us a part of something bigger. We offer more than a transaction; we offer a relationship.

Making it personal

Banking is very personal. You’re taking care of people’s money and helping them strengthen their financial wellbeing, and to do that successfully, you have to build trust and form long-term relationships. Everything we do centers on building trust and caring for the individual; modern technological advancements simplify those interactions, but we pursue them with the goal of supporting our customers more fully.

Because we care, and that core sentiment transcends what we do. For instance, our branch teams are used to seeing certain clients regularly. They come every Wednesday or stop in twice a week or they call, and when they don’t show up and it’s unexpected, we reach out. In fact, recently when our team reached out to a client, we found out this particular individual had been sick and needed help, and we were able to intervene and provide support.

Or consider that one of our collections officers regularly worked with husband-and-wife borrowers who were nearly always late with payments. They were struggling, and our team always worked with them. So, when a family member passed away and left them a million-dollar estate, they came in to see their collections officer, because in their mind, he was their banker who took care of them.

Adapting for the future

We remain relevant precisely because we are both committed to our clients but also willing to adapt to the changing times and the services that need to be offered. We thrive in our communities for hundreds of years because we prioritize the relationship but support it with the banking tools that exceed customer expectations. We utilize modern technology to offer new paths to interacting and engaging with our banks, but what keeps our customers returning is the fact that we’ll always be there in person when they need it, and we’ll know them as a client.

So, as we adapt to address competitive pressures, introduce new technologies, and deliver on needs, we do so with our customers at the center. Because if everything we do begins and ends with building trust and caring for the individual, there is no doubt that we will continue to flourish for centuries to come.

Quote of the Month

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt.”

-- Nolan Ryan