First Citizens Bank, the principal subsidiary of First Citizens BancShares Inc. (Nasdaq: FCNCA), will open its first full-service office in Chattanooga on Monday at 1611 Gunbarrel Road near Hamilton Place Mall. It is the bank’s sixth location in Tennessee.
“We look forward to bringing First Citizens’ brand of exceptional service and reputation for safety and stability to Chattanooga,” said Area Executive Allan Beall. “This new office will allow us to focus on what we do best: building long-term relationships with our customers.”
The 4,000-square-foot building features a Georgian-influenced classical style with a brick exterior — a signature architectural design used consistently by First Citizens throughout its markets.
The branch includes two drive-through lanes and a drive-up ATM lane.
The full-service branch will offer a complete line of personal, business and wealth management financial services. The new office is in the perfect location to serve the area’s growing retail and medical community, according to Mr. Beall.
“Our focus is meeting the financial needs of individuals, businesses, professionals and the medical community,” he said. “In fact, we recognize that medical practices represent an important segment of the business community and have distinct banking needs. We have all the financial tools to meet their unique goals.”
Since last year, bank associates have been serving the market from a loan production office in Chattanooga at 6110 Shallowford Road. Associates at the full-service Gunbarrel Road office include commercial banker John Hatfield, business banker Kay Wilson, banker assistant Mandi McCarty, manager Chris Jones, financial services representatives Ava Davis and Jennifer Mount and operations supervisor Kym Bentley.
First Citizens Bank entered the Tennessee market in October 2005 and plans to open its seventh location in Franklin on Dec.15.
Founded in 1898, First Citizens operates 343 branches in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. The bank is a major subsidiary of First Citizens BancShares Inc., which has $16.7 billion in assets.
First Citizens Bank is a recipient of a five-star superior rating by independent bank research firm BauerFinancial Inc. of Coral Cables, Fla. (bauerfinancial.com). The rating, the highest given by the firm, is based on the overall financial picture of the institution and indicates that First Citizens is one of the strongest banks in the nation.