James P. Helt

James P. Helt

President and CEO
ACNB Bank

Helt has served seven years as president and five years as CEO.

He said he likes to focus on the team aspect of leadership. “I strongly believe that when a group of individuals understands the goals and objectives that have been laid out for the company—working together, they can accomplish great things. I fully expect each team member to participate in the process by sharing ideas and thoughts related to the challenges in front us. I also expect each team member to then stand behind the team decision and support that decision throughout the company,” Helt said.

His career in banking started as a part-time teller working at the local bank in his hometown. He enjoyed the customer interaction, as well as learning how a bank works from the inside. Helt started his full-time banking career upon graduation from college as a commercial loan officer trainee—spending 18 months in a credit/lending program before moving out into the field as a loan officer where he could help business customers succeed in growing their business.

After spending so much time in the office or in front of a computer, Helt enjoys working outdoors in the yard and around the house. “It’s nice to get outdoors and to see the results of your work at the end of a project,” he said.

This profile is part of CPBJ's Banking and Finance Power List for 2022. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.