For the past decade, we have adhered to the Second National Achievement Statement: to balance profit and growth with a focus on quality, innovation, and opportunity. Part of our value strategy is to seek new opportunities to serve customers, through remote banking channels as well as through new branches. Our branch expansion, through acquisitions and de novo offices, is a thoughtful and strategic effort to better serve our customers--and all of Second National's stakeholders.
The operational efficiencies and increased market share that come with such growth assure Second National Bank the strength and viability necessary to remain an independent entity. We believe our brand of banking offers a great value to the consumer--and we are dedicated to continuing to make community banking a viable alternative in Northeast Ohio.
We have enjoyed positive feedback from the community at large on the proposed mergers. Many of you have expressed your excitement as well about Second National's growth and the opportunities ahead for all of us. Now more than ever, our employees will be called upon to live Second National's core values. Timely service, accessibility, high-performance employees, accuracy and efficiency, and effective communication will ensure we continue to deliver value banking during this year's consolidation process--and beyond. Your ongoing efforts to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers will further distinguish Second National Bank in the Northeast Ohio marketplace.
Our new customers and employees will soon discover that Second National has an approach that runs counter to many of the trends in today's increasingly commodity-driven financial services industry. Second National Bank has highly qualified banking professionals who offer a level of personalization and attentiveness unparalleled by other financial institutions. I believe the new communities we will soon enter in Jefferson and Cuyahoga counties will benefit from Second National's products and services, localized decision-making, and strong corporate citizenship, just as our existing communities do.
I appreciate all of the effort already expended by Second National employees as we begin to integrate our organizations--and thank you in advance for the work ahead. Please join me in embracing the challenge before us: to bring our unique brand of banking to more of the Northeast Ohio marketplace and to continue on our quest to become a regional community banking leader.
|
