Citizens Bank of The South celebrates 5th year anniversary

Published 5:59 pm Friday, November 4, 2022

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Citizens Bank of The South opened its doors in Milledgeville.

And to commemorate the occasion, a special ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday night at the bank. Bank officials and staff members greeted community business people and residents and thanked them for their loyal support for the last five years. Staff and members of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce also attended the event.

Kara Lassiter, president and chief executive officer of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce told the crowd that attended that chamber officials and members were so happy to have Citizens Bank of The South in the community.

“They have been great supporters of the chamber,” Lassiter said. “They’ve been great community supporters, too.”

She later turned the ceremony over to Bill Jones, who serves as president of the Milledgeville office of Citizens Bank of The South.

 “It’s great to see such a great crowd,” said Jones, a veteran banker and executive. “It’s hard to believe that it has been five years that we have been here. I get emotional about it because everybody has been so supportive of me and the group that we have here.”

 Jones recalled that when the bank first opened its doors in Milledgeville there were only six employees. 

“Of those six who came onboard, we still have five of those with me,” Jones said, noting the other original staff member since had retired.

The bank has grown in its short time in Milledgeville and additional staff has been hired to assist the needs of customers.

“If it wasn’t for the group that I have surrounding me and the support of our officers in Sandersville and over in Statesboro, and all our communities just coming together and supporting us, none of this would have been possible,” Jones said. “It is phenomenal. We have done better than what we had anticipated.”

Jones said it couldn’t have happened if not for those gathered at the special event as well as those elsewhere.

The bank president, who has been in the banking business for 40 years, said it had been his pleasure for him and his staff to support the community and to see that support given back to the bank from the community.

David Brooker, who serves as president and chief executive officer of Citizens Bank of The South, also addressed the crowd.

“I just want to say thank you to all of you for coming out,” Brooker said. “We’re real proud of the group. They have done a phenomenal job. We’re just so happy to be in Milledgeville. We love all of you and thank you so much. We really appreciate it.”

Jones said from the time the building was acquired and converted into a bank, a lot of excitement had arisen.

“Even though we’re off the beaten path, people have been so good to come and support us in this community from surrounding communities in other counties, too,” Jones said. “It’s not as much about location, but about the people, in my opinion.”

Jones said he was fortunate to have a staff who loves their customers and the customers, in turn, love them.

 “This community has just been so supportive of our bank,” Jones said. “It has been five years of really just having fun. It really has.”

Asked what the future looks like for the bank, Jones quickly responded.

 “I think we’ve got a great future ahead of us, as far as expansion,” Jones said. “The bank is very sound and very established, and well-known around our communities and counties of Washington County, where our home office is located.”

Jones said Citizens Bank of The South serves all areas of what is known as Georgia’s Lake Country.

“We serve Baldwin, Jones, Jasper, Putnam, Greene, and Morgan counties,” Jones said. “And a lot of it has to do with building relationships that started right here at the bank.”