County National Bank is More Than a Bank
A bank is something every person is familiar with. You stop by the ATM on your way home from work. You call them when there’s a problem with your card. You set up a savings account for your future. County National Bank (CNB) does so much more than a traditional banking institution. Celebrating its 88th birthday, CNB proudly serves small businesses and corporate offices alike. Headquartered in Hillsdale, CNB has opened twelve branches over the past 88 years and plans to open their thirteenth on Spring Arbor Road very soon.
Melissa Stroede has been with CNB since 2002. She is the definition of “moving up the ladder.” Starting out as a teller in college, Melissa is now the VP of Treasury Management and has 20 years of banking experience. This department is newer, starting in 2017, and covers all business banking needs; from business online banking to fraud prevention, Treasury Management can be beneficial to your local mom and pop to a worldwide corporation.
CNB sets itself apart from your big-name commercial banks. The difference between CNB’s philosophy and that of commercial banking is not only on the deposit side but also the lending side. Melissa explained, “We strive to make sure that business wants for nothing when it comes to a banking relationship.” With that, CNB is able to cover commercial loans and deposits, talk to owners about their investments, and even help with 401Ks and retirement plans. Melissa further said that it’s more than just an account number with CNB, they’ll offer anything a business owner needs guidance with financially.
Banking locally, especially for businesses, has countless benefits. CNB has seen tremendous growth in Jackson’s market, and still has flexibility when it comes to loan approval because of community bank philosophy. They’re able to consider the individual business and work to make a financing plan that suits their needs. Whether you’re a small business ready to expand or a large corporation needing increased line of credit, CNB works to accommodate the individual business.
For a small business, there’s a lot of value in banking with a local institution, simply based on the fact that they know your area and can offer local decision making. They have the ability to think outside the box, rather than just go through the motions of creating an account for you. Melissa shared that being able to see a small business grow firsthand is the most fulfilling thing for CNB to see. Utilizing CNB and having someone on your team that’s also local can be a huge benefit because they live and work here too. If you have a small business, CNB has a huge portfolio of loan types they can help with. There’s rarely something they can’t do, no matter the size.
On the deposit side, CNB also works differently than your typical commercial bank. Commercial banks often charge clients a fee per transaction. CNB has a hard monthly charge that is a fraction of what other commercial banks charge for services. They’ve found ways to build a better, stronger business, without charging additional fees to your local shops, restaurants, and businesses. Therefore, businesses’ relationship with CNB can be focused on strictly helping their business, rather than sweating over the small fees.
CNB also assists with wealth management. For a long time, CNB has had a wealth management department, which specializes in business banking. CNB has a great team of financial advisors local to Jackson, and just like they personalize banking, they give that extra, personalized effort to manage the wealth of their clients. To have one business owner have one holistic relationship with one bank can be huge, and there’s not a lot that CNB can’t handle when it comes to business owners big and small managing their finances.
Aside from being different than commercial banks, CNB is so much more than a place to deposit a check. Melissa took the time to explain CNB’s deep commitment to the Jackson community. All employees serve on boards, volunteer for local nonprofits, and more. Their work culture is based highly on community involvement. Their involvement translates to the events they sponsor; they choose sponsorships very specific to community needs. For example, CNB is the presenting sponsor of the Art, Beer, and Wine Festival, because they find huge value in helping sustain the Ella Sharp Museum. It gives them the opportunity to be really involved in big, local events.
“What’s cool,” Melissa continues, “is hearing CNB mentioned on JTV or the radio.” Everything they do is local, so it’s easy to be involved on a local board. People who work at CNB are local and are involved in the community organizations and are visible to those in the community. Visibility is what sets them apart, and it’s something they pride themselves on. Melissa shared that John Waldren, President of CNB, doesn’t want to see the employees in their offices. He expects them to be out, involved in the community.
When asked “What one thing you want the people of Jackson to know?” Melissa said “We were there during the pandemic. Flexible and quick with implementing loans, and I firmly believe that we saved some small businesses.” Melissa then went on to say that CNB doesn’t do what they do for accolades, they do it because they care. From commercial business owners to small businesses downtown, County National Bank is highly committed to Jackson and the people and businesses who call this home.
