Citizens South Bank
519 South New Hope Road
PO Box 2249
Gastonia, NC 28053-2249
Toll Free (800) 218-8619
Local (704) 868-5200
History & Mission
HISTORY
Organized in Gastonia, NC, in 1904, Citizens South Bank is the oldest continuously existing financial institution chartered in Gaston County.
Citizens South began as Gastonia Mutual Building and Loan Association, an institution with one paid employee in one office in Gastonia. Today, Citizens South Bank has 21 full-service offices in the Charlotte, North Carolina region, York County, South Carolina and North Georgia. It has more than $1 billion in assets and approximately 80,000 customer accounts. There are more than 200 full-time employees and officers and 12 active bank directors.
Over the past century, the Bank has gone through several name changes and made a number of acquisitions:
- In 1959, Gastonia Mutual Building and Loan Association became Gastonia Mutual Savings and Loan Association.
- Gastonia Mutual became Gaston Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1981.
- In 1982, Mount Holly Federal Savings and Loan Association merged into Gaston Federal.
- In 1998, Gaston Federal Savings and Loan Association, a mutual savings association, reorganized and issued common stock to the public, becoming a stockholder-owned company, Gaston Federal Bank.
- In 2001, the Bank’s holding company, Gaston Federal Bancorp, Inc. (now Citizens South Banking Corporation) acquired Innes Street Financial Corporation of Salisbury, parent company of Citizens Bank.
- In 2002, to better reflect the larger geographic area served by the Bank and to emphasize its community bank mission, Gaston Federal Bank became CITIZENS SOUTH BANK.
- In 2005, Monroe-based Trinity Bank was acquired and merged into Citizens South.
- In 2010, with assistance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Citizens South assumed the deposits, loans and banking operations of Bank of Hiawassee, Bank of Blue Ridge and Bank of Blairsville, with five full service branches located in North Georgia.
Since 1904, Citizens South has continually drawn on thoughtful decision making, sound fiscal practices and a deliberate approach to growth to remain financially healthy through good times and bad. We will continue to use the knowledge and wisdom we have gained over a lifetime of local community banking experience to effectively help our customers achieve their financial objectives—today and tomorrow.
VISION
Our vision is to be the dominant community bank in the markets we serve.
CORE VALUES
| Quality: | We will always strive to achieve the highest standards of prompt and courteous service in the delivery of products and services that fulfill the financial needs of our customers. |
| Profitability: | We will generate sufficient earnings to provide an attractive return to our stockholders, to maintain a strong capital base, and to fund future growth. |
| Commitment: | We will sustain a clear focus on our vision, mission, and core values, in order to achieve consistency of execution and adherence to the highest ethical standards. |
MISSION
Our mission is to utilize the 212° philosophy in delivering value for our:
- Shareholders through achieving strong financial performance;
- Customers by delivering excellence in personal service;
- Employees by providing challenging and rewarding career opportunities;
- Communities by enhancing quality of life.
