History

On March 26, 1930, in the midst of the Great Depression, Citizens National Bank opened for business with capital stock of $100,000 and a surplus of $50,000. Not much by today’s standards, but a healthy beginning for those times. Most importantly, it represented the optimism and unshakable faith of eight men in the future of East Texas. The eight men were John R. Alford, Judge C. L. Brachfield, J. E. Heath, Rade Kangerga, D. W. March, and W. E. Wylie of Rusk County, along with Dallas bankers Fred Florence and Nathan Adams. They rolled up their sleeves and set out to prove the impossible could be done.

The Bank’s emphasis from the beginning has been to provide excellent personal service with the latest in financial products and services. Citizens introduced TV motor banking to East Texas in 1966 and became Henderson’s first full service bank with the addition of a Trust department in 1969. In 1979 Citizens introduced its first automated teller machine (ATM). By 1994 customers could access account information through an interactive Voice Response System and in the year 2000 Internet Banking and Online Bill Pay were made available.

Between 1990 and 2007, Citizens acquired several bank branches across East Texas. New branches were also opened in Marshall, Athens, Longview, and Tyler. In 1992 Citizens partnered with Primevest to offer investments to our customers. To further expand the product line, beginning in 2000, insurance products became available through CFG Insurance, a subsidiary of CNB. With almost 80 years of commitment to its customers, Citizens National has branched out into 18 locations across 7 counties in East and Central Texas and has approximately $800 million in assets.