BUCKHANNON – Their name identifies what – and who – Citizens Bank of West Virginia officials care about most, the bank’s president said Friday at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the bank’s brand new West Main Street location.

“I’m thrilled to be here today and even more thrilled that you all could join us,” Nathaniel Bonnell, also the CEO of the bank, said. “The spirit of the community is really strong in Buckhannon. I’m really thankful to have been welcomed here and grateful that we can call this home now.

“As you look out the window, we recognize and realize that there are many places that you can do your banking,” he observed. “We are a community bank in the truest sense of the word. Decisions will be made in this building now. We don’t ship that out to some corporate office far, far away. We would love for you to come explore our account offerings, our loan offerings, meet with our folks and please come and try us out.”

The newest branch of Citizens Bank is located at 77 W. Main St., where Bill Kelley Chevrolet previously stood.

Bonnell introduced several branch officials, including branch manager Gina Ball, business development officer Jennifer Poling, customer service manager Kim Strickland and teller Sara Cale.

He thanked Mills Group, the architectural firm responsible for the design of the building, distinguished by the clock tower, as well as Pray Construction Group, which erected the building in a matter of months.

“We really appreciate the speed with which they were able to get this project done,” Bonnell said of the construction company. “We’ve gotten many, many compliments on it. We’re amazed at how quickly the building went up and how quickly the project was accomplished.”

Citizens Bank of West Virginia is headquartered just 30 minutes east of Buckhannon in Elkins and has additional branch offices in Parsons Beverly and Snowshoe.

In a press release distributed to media outlets at Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony and subsequent luncheon, Bonnell expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome Citizens Bank received when it opened a smaller office on Main Street in 2014 and at the groundbreaking for the new building in July 2018.

“We received the warmest of welcomes when we opened our doors down the street in 2014, and in the last four years we have produced millions of dollars in local loans for business expansions, homes and automobile purchases,” Bonnell said in the release. “The growth and vitality of this market and the cooperative spirit in the community makes Buckhannon a great place to do business.”

At Friday’s luncheon, city councilman Robbie Skinner thanked bank officials for investing their resources in Buckhannon and Upshur County.

“We thank you, Citizens Bank of West Virginia, for your initial investment in our community four years ago,” Skinner said. “Thank you for showing the residents and business owners of Upshur County how to grow a client base through positive and selfless community service. Your philosophical approach to local banking is unrivaled by your competition in this community, and as you can see, there is a lot of competition … we’re kind of the city of banks right now.”

Skinner credited Citizens Bank for sponsoring elements of the West Virginia Strawberry Festival as well as the city of Buckhannon’s Fourth of July fireworks in 2017 and 2018.

“Without your support and without your sponsorship, we would not have been able to provide fireworks for the citizens of our community for the past two years,” Skinner said. “So, thank you. Thank you for believing in us, thank you for taking a chance on us, thank you for welcoming us into your family, just as we have welcomed you. Thank you for constructing this building that has illuminated West Main Street, thus adding to the vibrancy and the color of our already stunning downtown.”

Citizens Bank’s lobby will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with drive-thru hours slated for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

More information about services is available at www.citizenswv.com or by calling 304-472-7340.