(PRNewswire) - First Bank & Trust Company announces improved rankings, added locations and overall organizational growth while maintaining customer-centric focus. Despite pandemic challenges, First Bank & Trust Company has expanded their operational footprint, account numbers, and employment numbers.
In Bank Director Magazine's recently released Bank Performance Scorecard, First Bank & Trust appeared seventh on the nation's Top 25 Banks list. When considering only banks with assets between $1 billion and $5 billion, First Bank & Trust ranked sixth. Last year, First Bank & Trust appeared as 23rd overall and 12th among banks with between $1 billion and $5 billion in assets.
Since March of 2020, First Bank & Trust has opened nine new locations including five new loan production offices, two full-service branches and two transitional locations which were loan production offices and are now full-service branches.
For the first time, the bank is expanding its branch footprint into North Carolina, opening two loan production offices in Red Oak and Mount Airy, North Carolina. At least initially, North Carolina operations will focus heavily on growing the bank's agriculture lending sector which has a wealth of opportunity in the state.
The bank's expansion is largely attributed to its commitment to customer service and a hands-on approach. President & CEO, Mark Nelson said, "Our team is committed to providing exceptional loan servicing during origination and throughout the life of the loan. We aren't interested in becoming the type of bank that sells off mortgages to another lender, dropping our customers as soon as their closing is complete. By expanding our loan production offices and customer service teams, in particular our location at The Pinnacle, we are ensuring that we will be able to take care of our lending customers for years to come."
Physical expansion has allowed the bank to add more than 30 new employees since October of 2020, with additional growth on the horizon. The expanded presence of the bank has also attracted more than 2,750 new deposit accounts since July of 2020.
Furthering their commitment to a customer-centric experience, the bank has introduced improvements for existing customers by launching a new mobile and online banking experience.
Commercial customer success was a prominent focus of the 2020-2021 fiscal year. To best serve their commercial partners, First Bank & Trust began processing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and has since extended more than 6,500 loans representing upwards of $380 million in aid to our region's local and small businesses.
About First Bank & Trust Company
First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with more than thirty office locations throughout Southwest Virginia, Virginia's New River and Shenandoah Valleys and Northeast Tennessee. The bank's financial solutions include free checking products for personal and business accounts, savings, money market and time deposit accounts. Lending solutions are managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive wealth management solutions are available through First Trust & Wealth Management.
ABINGDON, Va., Aug. 30, 2021
