Video Release: The Business of Banking
Citizens First Bank is proud to announce the release of a new video that tells the story of its 24 years serving the Clinton, Iowa community through true community banking.
The video features Keith Hook, Executive Vice President at Citizens First Bank, who has been with the bank since just two weeks before its opening in 2000. Hook provides a first-hand account of the bank’s early days of “chaos” setting up equipment and preparing for customers. He recounts the excitement of the grand opening day when the doors opened at 8:30am and a flood of friends, family, and community members came in to open accounts.
Hook goes on to detail the astronomical growth Citizens First Bank has experienced, expanding from 10 employees in one 2,500 square foot building to now having 55 employees across 3 locations, including the main 15,000 square foot building. Throughout this growth, the bank has remained firmly rooted in its mission of taking local deposits and reinvesting them back into the Clinton community through loans.
“This is just Banking, as it should be,” Hook states. “It’s been our motto since we started, and we’re a friendly bank, everybody knows everybody, it’s run by locals, owned by locals, and serves locals.”
The video provides an inside look at how Citizens First Bank operates as a true community bank, including:
- Priorities like maintaining a high loan-to-deposit ratio of 98% to maximize reinvestment in the local community
- Insights into key banking metrics like return on equity, return on assets, and net interest margin
- The importance of FDIC insurance, especially in light of recent bank failures
- How regulations have evolved over the decades
- The stability of the Clinton economy compared to other regions
- Career opportunities across various backgrounds in the banking industry
“We are thrilled to share this video and give people a window into life at a community bank like Citizens First Bank,” said Carrie Donaire, Marketing Officer. “Our mission has remained unchanged for 24 years – to be a local bank serving local people. We hope this video will resonate with residents of Clinton and reinforce our commitment to this community.”