All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Citizens Named to top 200 community banks in the nation

BUCKHANNON — Citizens Bank of West Virginia has moved to the 64th rank in American Banker magazine’s Top
200 Publicly Traded Community Banks and Thrifts in the nation.

In its May 2021 issue, American Banker placed Citizens on its prestigious nationwide list, ranking Citizens Bank the highest in West Virginia and the only bank headquartered in this region of the state to make the list. In 2020, the bank made the Top 200 List, ranking 150th.

“We were very excited to have received the news we moved up significantly in the rankings named in American Banker’s top-performing publicly traded community banks,” commented Nathaniel S. Bonnell, President & CEO.

“In spite of the economic impact related to COVID-19, the team at Citizens has worked very hard over the last year to deliver quality products and services to assist clients through these unique times, while continuing to provide solid value to our shareholders. To be ranked among the best performing U.S. community banks in these challenging times is a testament to the performance and dedication of our staff and leadership.”

The study examined 511 well-capitalized publicly traded banks with $2 billion or less in assets. Rankings are determined by each institution’s return on average equity (ROAE), a measure of profitability widely used by investors to analyze business performance. Only three other West Virginia institutions made the list.

Citizens Bank of West Virginia, with assets of $340 million, is a community bank headquartered in Elkins, West Virginia and operates branch offices in Parsons, Beverly, Snowshoe and Buckhannon. Citizens provides integrated financial services including retail and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage services in North Central West Virginia. The bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Citizens Financial Corp. (OTC: CIWV). For more information,
visit us online at citizenswv.com

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Former Buckhannon mayor sentenced to decade in prison for child pornography offense

David Walter McCauley, former Buckhannon mayor, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and 10 years supervised release for child pornography involving a 17-year-old boy, following an FBI-led investigation.

American Legion Post 7 cancels Flag Retirement Ceremony due to rain

The American Legion Post 7 has canceled its June 14 Flag Retirement Ceremony because of expected rain and thunderstorms, and will reschedule the event for a later date.

Sandra Louise Collins Garrison

Sandra Louise Collins Garrison, a longtime educator in Buckhannon, is remembered by family and former students following her death at age 73, with funeral services set for June 18 at Way of Holiness Church.
LUCAS Truck

LUCAS to offer lung cancer screening in Rock Cave, Weston, and Buckhannon

LUCAS, WVU Medicine’s mobile lung cancer screening unit, will offer low-dose CT scans in Rock Cave, Weston, and Buckhannon in July for insured and eligible uninsured patients by appointment.

Man arrested for allegedly attempting to cash unauthorized check at BC Bank in Buckhannon

Christian Lyons, 47, of Ashford, was arrested on a felony charge after allegedly attempting to cash a check without authorization at a Buckhannon bank, with surveillance and account details helping police identify him.
Summer basketball

Summer Basketball League continues to grow under UCRC director Mitchell Shaw

The Upshur County Summer Basketball League, overseen by UCRC director Mitchell Shaw, is thriving and expanding with 18 teams and 183 players, offering organized, community-focused competition and new sponsorship-driven prizes in Buckhannon.

Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for June 11, 2025

Local highlights include a June 28 Glow Stick Party at James Curry Library, Upshur Schools’ virtual learning signups, BUHS rescheduled Alumni Soccer Game and a debut novel by Chantelle Kerr.

Upshur Update: Catch up on the latest local news in our June 11, 2025 podcast

The Upshur Update highlights the return of the Almost Heaven BBQ Bash, pool openings with new inclusive programs, community achievements in literacy and sports, student honors, local recognitions, and upcoming summer events in Buckhannon and Upshur County.

‘It’s the Small Things that Count’ – Lively pens book about daughter Megan

Alisa Mauk Lively has written “It’s the Small Things that Count,” a book celebrating the life and impact of her late daughter Megan, with proceeds benefiting Upshur County Special Olympics.