Independent Banker - March 2023 - 50

acquaintances in their twenties and
thirties choosing local coffee shops
over big names like Starbucks, local
hardware stores over Lowe's or Home
Depot-so why not, he suggests,
choose a community bank over a
national bank?
He recalls serving on FDIC's
Community Bank Advisory
Committee years ago and being
introduced to a group of millennials
who worked there. All but one of them
had the same checking account they
had opened in high school. When
asked what they wanted from a bank,
they told him, " If you'll give us the
technology, if you'll give us the ability
to bank on our phones ... but assure
us that Ms. Sally who we used to talk
to at the bank is still there if we need
to talk to somebody, then you've got
us for life. "
This approach is key to Century
Bank & Trust's success. " If we can get
them in the door, we can keep them, "
he says, " because we can blow them
away with the service that we provide. "
And that means putting ethics
front and center. " We use the word
'family' a lot. We're serious about it at
Century. We believe in it. We believe
in each other, " he says. " I had an HR
attorney tell me one time, 'Derek, I
want you to remember something.
Just because something is legal,
doesn't mean it's right or ethical.' So,
I always think about that. When we
have situations, I know [my team is]
going to respond with what's best for
the people who work at the bank and
what's best for our customers. "
It's his confidence in Century's
culture and in his team that has allowed
him the freedom to work closely with
ICBA. As CEO, he says, his job is " to
create a culture and to encourage and
to motivate and to live at the 30,000foot
level, trying to make sure that
everybody else has an opportunity to do
their job as effectively as possible. "
CENTURY BANK & TRUST TURNS 125
Century Bank & Trust originally opened as Merchants and Farmers
Bank on March 1, 1898, in Milledgeville, Ga. In 1993, it rebranded
to reflect its evolving role in the financial services industry. Today,
the $365 million-asset community bank has two branch offices in
Milledgeville, plus a loan production office in Greensboro and a
diverse team that reflects its community.
Community service is as much a pillar of the community bank
as it has always been. In October 2021, the bank raised more than
$13,000 for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, and in
March 2022, the bank made a $10,000 donation to John Milledge
Academy to help provide scholarships for K-12 education in the
local community. On March 1, 2023, it celebrates 125 years in
business, with Derek Williams at its helm for the last eight.
Keeping the flame burning
Williams foresees a challenging year
ahead, with issues from inflation and
interest rates to the ripple effects of the
pandemic, but he plans to spend his
year as chairman lending support to
ICBA president Rebeca Romero Rainey
and her team, as well as reminding
bankers that the community banking
model works and to take pride in what
they do every day.
He believes ICBA's advocacy work
in Washington D.C., is critical to
shaping the industry and affects all
community bankers in profound ways.
" Community banks, " says Williams,
" have a great reputation with legislators
and regulators because of our track
record of safe and sound performance
and our support of consumers and
small businesses. We just want that
track record to be acknowledged and
considered so that regulations can
be tiered to fit the risk profile of the
institutions. "
50 // ICBA Independent Banker // March 2023
Independent Banker - March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - March 2023
