• Consumers and Small Businesses encouraged to explore how banking locally affects us all

ATMORE, Alabama — April is Community Banking Month and United Bank, along with its national trade association partners, is encouraging consumers and small business owners to “bank locally” by finding a hometown bank.  Because hometown banks put local deposits back to work in the community, and are financial first responders both in good times and in bad, consumers will be reinvesting in their neighborhood and making it a better place to live and work for generations to come. 

“When customers bank locally and shop locally, they directly impact their communities,” said Bob Jones, president and CEO of United Bank. “Customers can be confident knowing the funds they deposit are reinvested in ways that help create jobs, impact families and drive community development. It really is neighbor helping neighbor.”

States, local governments and community banks recognize Community Banking Month in various and often creative ways. United Bank is celebrating community banking throughout the spring as a sponsor of the North Baldwin Infirmary Gala, the Baldwin County Strawberry Festival, Atmore’s Mayfest, Silverhill’s Spring Fest and through hosting movie nights, among many others. United Bank will also support schools across its footprint by participating in the Teach Children to Save financial literacy effort.

Hometown banks also impact their communities through innovation. By providing the latest technology for mobile banking, including a scalable website and full-featured mobile banking, United Bank is making sure that customers have access to banking resources regardless of their location. The bank has also features a dedicated fraud and security center on its website.

As Alabama’s second largest agribusiness lender, United Bank is quick to include its farmers and ag-related business when celebrating Community Banking Month. Through production and equipment lending along with timber and real estate financing, United Bank is committed to helping farm and timber operations large and small thrive in our area. United Bank’s ag team also supports local farmers through expert advice and online content including a comprehensive news and weather center.

By driving local economies and creating local jobs, community banks — which are small businesses themselves — are an integral part of our nation’s financial system. Across the nation, community banks operate 51,000 locations, employ 700,000 Americans and hold $3.6 trillion in assets, $3.1 trillion in deposits and $2.6 trillion in loans. Located in small towns, suburbia and big-city neighborhoods, community banks improve the nation’s economies by lending to local customers and funding nearly 60 percent of all small businesses under $1 million.

To learn more about Community Banking Month and to share your own testimonials about how your hometown bank has made an impact, visit icba.biz/golocal. You can also visit United Bank’s Facebook page for more information.

United Bank is a $550,000,000 financial institution that has enjoyed 112 years of service. United Bank has offices in Atmore, Flomaton, Monroeville, Frisco City, Greensboro, Bay Minette, Foley, Lillian, Loxley, Magnolia Springs, Silverhill, Spanish Fort and Summerdale. United Bank serves Santa Rosa County, Florida in Jay, Milton and Pace. For more information about United Bank please visit our website at unitedbank.com. Member FDIC.