Citizens & North (C&N) Bank believes big things are happening business-wise in the Midstate, and they’re excited to be a part of it.
In April 2019, C&N opened its first full-service branch in the Midstate in York. January 2022 saw C&N open a second full-service branch in South Central Pennsylvania with a Lancaster location.
“We’re vested in these communities,” said J. Bradley Scovill, C&N’s President and CEO, “and these offices will be ideal for us to continue to serve and create value for our Lancaster and York customers for many years to come.”
Having lived in Lancaster for decades, Scovill’s roots in the Midstate run deep. A graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, he’s served as president of Lancaster’s Fulton Opera House Foundation and chairman of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of York County. Prior to joining C&N in 2015, he was president and COO of Kish Bancorp, Inc. and Kish Bank in Belleville, PA.
C&N’s Lancaster location at 2098 Spring Valley Road is situated at the corner of Rohrerstown and Spring Valley Roads, across from the Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health campus. Considered by C&N an important enhancement to its expansion in South Central Pennsylvania, the Lancaster branch complements its York neighbor’s site at 2951 Whiteford Road Suite #102. The latter opened as a lending center and became a full-service institution in October 2021.
“Many of us have had the pleasure of serving this region for years and these two, full-service offices will provide a great environment for us to care for our customers,” C&N Senior Vice President and Regional Executive Jeff Snyder said in a statement. “We believe big things will continue to happen here in Lancaster and York and we are excited to be a part of it.”
In a statement on its site, C&N states that the Lancaster and York locations “offer a personal, customer-focused experience complete with the convenience of on-site parking, a drive-up and dedicated space for business and consumer banking and lending.”
C&N has a long history, being established in 1864. Since then, it has grown into what the company said is “the leading financial services company in New York and Pennsylvania.”
Said Scovill, “We’ve built a very strong franchise and a capacity to be a growing organization.”
C&N’s growth is reflected in its 31 branches. The company prides itself on relationship-based banking and is intent on bringing to Lancaster and York its mission of creating value for customers and communities via technologies like those of larger, national banks.
“Relationships matter,” said Scovill. “We’re there in good times and bad. Everybody has ups and downs. We’re there in the good times and we won’t disappear when things get a little rough. This is how we do business.”
C&N’s expansion is based in part on the unique location which sees Lancaster and York near major markets in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Delaware, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and New York City. “There is a lot of proximity,” Scovill said, “and a lot of infrastructure to get you there.”
The proximity has led to an influx of residents and businesses. “This is an attractive place to move to,” Scovill said.
C&N takes pride in having local personnel like Scovill who are dedicated to their community. Along with Scovill, the leadership team includes Snyder, the Region President in York; Stephen Sherman, Regional Commercial Lending Executive (Lancaster); Peter Johnson, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Shane Moser, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Robert Bradfield, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Michael Kilgour, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (Lancaster); and Gwen Plaskin, Regional Treasury management Specialist (Lancaster).
Terry Lehman, C&N’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, lives in York and the company has a network of local business leaders/influencers it refers to as its Regional Advisory Board.
“These leaders help our team stay connected to the needs and goals of the local business community and economy, further demonstrating our commitment and ties to the region,” said Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing Charity Frantz.
In addition, C&N announced in November 2022 the addition of Christopher Kirman, a product of Mechanicsburg and graduate of Cumberland Valley High School who studied at Penn State University, to its team in Lancaster as a Mortgage Loan Operator.
Scovill said the company’s focus is on serving customers, clients, and communities. He called the Lancaster branch “an ideal extension to the team in our York office as we continue to create value for this area’s customers for many years to come.”
Snyder said C&N has a definite approach to how the company serves its clients.
“We provide easy access, a personal touch, and a team of professionals with extensive experience in value-based relationship banking, lending and wealth management,” said Snyder. “The Lancaster-York region is home to thousands of hard-working people and small- and medium-sized companies that will value a local team of experts who tailor solutions to meet their specialized needs.”
Scovill believes that C&N’s branches in Lancaster and York are important projects for both the company and the region.
“Our local team has grown substantially over the last few years, and built strong, long-standing relationships,” he said. “We’re engaged as customers chase goals over time. We’re there through all seasons.”
Further expansion by C&N in the Midstate is possible, said Scovill. “We would expect to expand with some offices in key places. What you won’t see is a quick push to put three or four offices in one area.
“There are a lot of banks here, and we didn’t come to Lancaster and York with the arrogance that this area needs another bank or it’s not going to succeed. Customers here are blessed with options. We’re another option.”