FEATURE
FEATURE
A downtown landmark, Citizens Building and Loan Association celebrates their 100 year anniversary this month, and remembers how it all began... w ritten by SHERIL BE NNE T T TURNER
a
Century of Service
T
he year is 1907. Theodore Roosevelt is the 26th
was elected
President. In New York City, the U.S. Women’s
President in
Political Movement begins as women rally for
1950 and is still
the right to vote. Oklahoma becomes the 46th state in the
remembered
Union. Two future stars of the American cinema, John
by James Ford,
Wayne and Katherine Hepburn, are born. Closer to home
a Citizens cus-
in the town of Greer’s, South Carolina, 1907 is also a busy
tomer for more
year. The railroad had arrived in the late 1800s, enabling
than 50 years.
this once small farming community to become a center
“I was a young
for agricultural trade. Cotton mills are becoming a vital
mill worker
part of the economy and will put Greer’s on the map as a
then with a wife
textile manufacturing mecca. Greer’s Station, the railroad
and kids. I came
depot, becomes the center of a building boom as busi-
in to get a home
nesses spring up around it. And with this growth comes
loan for around
more people. Mill workers, farm laborers, merchants and
$100. Now, that
other business people are flowing into the community to
isn’t much today
call the Town of Greer’s home.
but back then
It was in this year, 1907, that three local business-
Robert Lynn
the pay was
men, H.B. Carlisle, A.H. Miller and R.M. Hughes, apply
only around
for and receive a state charter to open a bank. Conceived
$15 a week. Mr. Bennett knew my father and my grandfa-
with one goal in mind — to serve the growing commu-
ther. Everybody knew everybody in Greer, much like it is
nity as a savings and loan facility — Citizens Building and
today. Mr. Bennett sat down with me and asked me how
Loan Association, now in their 100th year, continues to
much I could pay back a month. Then he took out a little
serve what today is the City of Greer as well as the sur-
notebook from his desk drawer and recorded the loan.
rounding community. Citizens Building and Loan officially opened their
“When my final payment was due I went to the bank and found out that I had overpaid,” he continues. “Mr.
doors for business in early 1912, occupying space in
Bennett told me about the Shares program and asked if I
the B.A. Bennett and Co. building between Trade and
wanted to invest the overpayment in that. I told him that
Poinsett streets. With E.C. Bailey as President and a
my family had gone without for too long and I wanted to
strong group of board members from the business com-
spend the extra money on them. But I did start a Shares
munity, the bank encouraged the close-knit community
account later, which is why I have what I do today.”
of farmers, mill workers, and merchants to not only buy
The popular Shares program lasted for many years
their own homes but save money for the future. In 1914, a
and because it paid out every six months, in April and
second railroad line was laid with a new depot, the P&N
October, many parents found it a convenient way to pay
(Piedmont & Northern), and CB&L became a vital part of
for their children’s college education.
the quickly developing downtown area.
14 14GreerNow GreerNowMARCH MARCH2007 2007
photo g raphed by BRI A N E R K E N S
W.A. Medlock was elected President in 1964 followed
In 1945, B.C. Berry replaced Bailey as President
by Maurice “Bus” Belue in 1972. Now Director Emeritus,
followed by H.L. Cunningham in 1948. Mr. B.A. Bennett
he continues to be an inspiration to the staff. “Bus Belue GreerNow MARCH 2007
15
FEATURE
FEATURE
Becky Johnson and Selena Ridings
showed all of us through his work, ethics, and example
who has
counts. By concentrating on their customer’s needs and
for its people. “We try to give back to the community what
that every customer is different but special and that
been on the
with conservative financial management, their assets
the community has given to us,” Terry says. The Citizens
each customer should be treated with respect,” explains
Board of Di-
have grown from the $271,973 recorded in 1937 after the
Building and
Robert Lynn, current President and member of the Board
rectors since
Depression to more than $92 million today.
Loan Charita-
of Directors. “I learned from one of the best,” says Vice
1988. “We
Although the bank’s financial principles have not
President Rhonda Turner, celebrating her 26th anniver-
spent $1.7
changed much in a century, the methods of recording
has contribut-
sary with CB&L. “Bus not only taught me the business
million on
have. In the beginning there were ledger books, pencils,
ed more than
from the ground up, he created an atmosphere where
this corner.
and erasers. Though computers took over the time-con-
$280,000 since
the people you work with are not just your co-workers,
We wanted
suming manual “figuring” done by the staff, paperwork
1999 to such
they’re your family.”
to make a
increased as federal regulations of banks increased. Ap-
organizations
statement to
plying for a loan, once a 10-minute process, began to take
as Greer Com-
117 Trade Street, this family unity was evident. “The
the commu-
longer and longer. “I started out as teller 22 years ago, and
munity Min-
employees volunteered to physically move everything into
nity that the
I think I was promoted to Loan Processor because they
istries, Greer
the new space themselves,” Robert Lynn recalls. Over the
downtown
next 23 years the Citizens building would undergo major
area is worth
renovations tying in with other city revitalization pro-
saving.” Built by his construction company, Cunningham
In 1976, when the bank moved down the block to
Jennifer Jones
ble Foundation
found out I could type
Relief, Visions
those forms really,
of Excellence,
really fast,” laughs
Greer Chris-
grams as Greer
Waters, and using Greer contractors and customers as
Becky Johnson. Today,
tian Learning
struggled to save
subcontractors, the elegant and spacious 7,092-square-
thanks to cutting-edge
Center, Greer
the historical
foot building is one of the nicest in the county. With their
technology and bank-
Soup Kitchen,
integrity of the
decision to remain in downtown Greer, Citizens Building
ing-specific software,
and Joshua’s
downtown area.
and Loan became instrumental in bringing other busi-
CB&L efficiently
Way.
nesses back to the area.
processes paperwork
In 1992 a study was
With a
while providing the
focus on the
conducted to de-
Loan not only prospered during the good times but sur-
personal service they
Greer commu-
termine the best
vived such hard financial times as the Great Depression of
are known for.
nity, the staff
location to build
the 1930s and the Savings and Loan failures of the 1980s.
a larger, more
“We’ve been able to weather the hard years,” Robert
the continued success of Citizens Building and Loan As-
finding and training good employees, but most impor-
updated facil-
explains. Buddy agrees: “We have always been conserva-
sociation has always been its people. From inception the
tantly, keeping good employees. “Many of us started right
ity for the bank.
tive. We’ve never followed trends like some of the other
Board of Directors has been small business owners and
out of school,” Becky remarks. “We’ve grown up, gotten
During that time
banks.” Staying true to their original intention as a home-
professionals from the Greer community who have a con-
married, had kids. Citizens has always given us a rea-
businesses were
town savings and loan, Citizens not only offers competi-
cern for the area’s continued growth and prosperity and
sonable schedule to spend time with our kids, and have
fleeing downtown
tive rates on financial services such as loans, first home
Greer for the rap-
buyers mortgages, passbook savings, CDs, and IRAs, but
idly developing
personalized service to all of their customers.
Highway 29 area,
Over the course of 100 years, Citizens Building and
Jackie Atkins
“We want to do fewer things and do them exception-
A pivotal part of
of Citizens is also chosen carefully with an emphasis on
treated our families as their own.” Selena Ridings, Receptionist for Cindy Fowler, Vickie Staggs, Amilee Kemp
13 years as well as back-up Teller and Loan Processor, agrees. “The fact that
and indeed the
ally well,” Buddy says. “For instance, we always service
most people have worked here for
study suggested
our own loans, we never sell them. We feel that people
years speaks volumes.” Teller Cindy
moving there,
want to have that personal contact every month when
Fowler says, “Although I have been in
but Citizens considered downtown Greer home. So in
they make their payment with someone who knows
banking in the Greer area for 25 years,
1994 the current building, designed and decorated by the
them.” Terry Dobson, newly elected Chairman of the
I have only been at Citizens for three
Spartanburg firm of O’Cain Gilmore Forrester Architects,
Board of Directors sums it up: “We may be smaller, but
and a half years. But not from lack of
opened on the corner of Trade and Randall.
we’re much more community oriented. Bigger is not
trying! It seems that the employees
always better.”
never leave unless they retire.”
Rhonda Turner
“We made a conscious effort to buy this block and put this building here when few were spending money in downtown Greer,” remarks Benjamin “Buddy” Waters,
16 GreerNow MARCH 2007
Although state chartered, in 1977 CB&L joined the Federal Home Loan System (FDIC) to insure their ac-
A common sentiment shared by the staff of Citizens — once someone walks
GreerNow MARCH 2007
17
FEATURE
through our
generation
doors, they
of customers
don’t walk
has passed
out — seems
down the
to apply not
value of
only to the
banking with
employees,
a local, small-
but to the
town savings
customers as
and loan. We
well. Vickie
want to give
Staggs, Teller
people every
for CB&L for
possible
four years, explains why. “We show a
Board Members (seated): Ralph Johnson, Laurens James; (standing left to right): Maurice Belue, Hayne Griffin, Paul Rogers, Benjamin Waters, Terry Dobson, Robert Lynn
opportunity to save to own their
cern for our
own home.”
customers and I think they really appreciate that. They
Today, through word-of-mouth, Citizens has become not
feel comfortable when they come in.” Amilee Kemp, head
just a bank for native residents of Greer, but for newcom-
teller and 33-year employee, agrees: “Our customers are
ers to the area who want a strong financial institution and
Betty Hatcher, long-time customer says, “My hus-
JOY
www.joyrealestate.com 864-297-3111
Throughout a century of the most amazing economi-
band, the late attorney Billy Hatcher, and I started doing
cal, political, and technological changes, Citizens Build-
business with Citizens in the 1960s. Even though they’ve
ing and Loan Association remains in their 100th year
grown over the years and technology has advanced, they
unchanged from their original goal. With roots firmly
still serve their customers with people, one-on-one, and
planted in the Greer community, they remain what they
make each one of us feel special. I like to call all of the
were intended to be — a hometown bank for the people
people at Citizens my friends.”
— because they are the people. Their mission, “to main-
Generation after generation of Greer families have
Greer!
REAL ESTATE
one that offers a personal banking experience.
Tricia Alford 350-2785
A Place to Visit, A Place to Live, Make the Right Move to
money and
genuine con-
our family and friends.”
Chris Stroble 320-4062
tain long-term relationships with our customers and
walked through the doors and have remained loyal to
deliver personal service,” is as true today as it was in 1907.
Citizens. “Years ago we were surrounded by textile mill
Happy 100th Anniversary Citizens Building and Loan As-
villages,” explains Jackie Atkins, Senior Vice President
sociation, and here’s to your continued success! d
Think of it as a more-for-your-money market account.
4.5%
APY*
and 17-year veteran. “The mill employees came in every day with as little as $5 or as much as $50 to put in savings.
BIG CHANGES IN 100 YEARS
1907
2007
When the mill houses were sold, we financed many of
Gallon of milk
$0.31
$3.92
FOR BALANCES OF $5,000 OR MORE.
Loaf of bread
$0.05
$1.15
New car
$500
$27,800
With MetLife Bank, a member of the MetLife family of companies, you get more from a money market account. Not just safety. But outstanding interest rates, too.
Gallon of gas
$0.06
$2.70
New home
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them. Citizens was created for the working people, and today many of their grandchildren are now banking with us because we treat the small saver and borrower the same as those with more money.” Jennifer Jones, Assistant Vice President, has been with CB&L for six and a half years. “I think that each
Dow Jones Industrial Average
$58
$12,000
Citizens Building and Loan Association cordially invites their customers to celebrate the 100th Year Anniversary during Customer Appreciation Days, April 12 and 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
18 GreerNow MARCH 2007
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