Bigger isn't necessarily better, especially when it comes to banking, according to Blake Cansler, vice president of Citizens Bank in Hot Springs in the press release.
"At big banks, lending tends to be an absolute science; you either fit the formula or you don't, in which case you don't get the loan. The big banks' notion that everyone fits the same mold doesn't make sense," Cansler said. "At Citizens Bank, we think of lending as more of an art. All people and situations are different. We want to get to know you and your business to create opportunities that are based on your specific needs."
Citizens Bank is considered a "community bank," which is defined generally as a financial institution with less than $1 billion in assets.
"Because it is smaller, a community bank plays a critical role in the growth and development of the area where it is located," Cansler said. "Community bankers know the hometown market, are familiar with the local people and are part of the fabric of the community because it is where they make their homes, too.
"Big banks, with home offices in some faraway place, just don't have the connection with or appreciation for your hometown as does your local community bank."
Citizens Bank, which is an Arkansas family-owned bank, is a member of the Independent Community Bankers of America. According to ICBA, "Community banks are instrumental in building better communities, as they continue to lend to local residents, entrepreneurs and agricultural enterprises -- all of which keep America's rural, suburban and urban communities growing and thriving."
Cansler joined Citizens Bank in 2015 when the bank expanded into the Hot Springs market. He has specialized in lending for the past five years. He attended Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and studied golf management at the Professional Golfers Career College in Orlando, Fla.
Cansler and his wife, Courtney, have two daughters, Rielyn, 4, and Sutton, 10 months. They are members of Crossgate Church and Blake Cansler serves on the Greens & Tournament Committee at the Hot Springs Country Club.
Citizens Bank was founded in Batesville in 1953 by local business and civic leaders to serve the financial needs of middle income families and small businesses. Citizens Bank continues to work today to improve the quality of life for all community residents by promoting educational opportunities, economic growth and innovative civic partnerships.
Business on 02/08/2016