Citizens National Bank is holding its grand reopening celebration today, Thursday, Sept. 15, at the bank building in downtown Brownwood, located at 1 Carnegie Street.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at 10 a.m. Thursday and speakers included CNB Chairman of the Board Calvin Fryar, Chief Executive Officer John P. Guest, and Brownwood City Manager Emily Crawford.
Fryar thanked the associates for their determination to service, and then thanked the customers, who Fryar said are the most important.
“Without you, there is no success,” Fryar said. “Citizens National Bank is a unique bank in the fact that there are very few that you’ll see in the nation that continues to have the same name and is home-owned. I think if you meet our board today, you’ll see we are in the long haul. Five of our board members are second generation and we hope there will be third generation. Brownwood, Early, and the state of Texas has a great future and our idea and our desire is to be a part of that future.”
Guest spoke about the history of the bank to those in attendance.
“Our bank actually started in 1906 right down this street on Center,” Guest said. “I’m not sure where it was located for the first 3 years, but in 1909 is when they built the building right over there that is now known as the Krischke building. Then in 1929, we moved down the street on Lee. It was located there from ‘29 until we moved here in 1980. When I first moved to Brownwood, I had a job working in a building right down that alley there. That was in 1979. I parked my pick-up right there where the waterboard building is and I watched this bank being built. I didn’t know I would spend the next 40 years of my life here. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. We’re proud of our building and we’re proud of our bank. ”
Guest also addressed the recent renovations to the facility.
“I want to thank anybody that had anything to do with the remodel. DEI was our general contractor,” Guest said. “I want to thank them. They did a wonderful job. I want to thank the directors for allowing us to do this remodel. I think it shows a commitment to the future by them. I want to thank all of the officers and employees for bearing with us through this. It’s not easy doing a total remodel of a building inside and out. A special thanks to Jessie Mendoza. Jessie had a lot of input and a lot of good ideas. He was instrumental in a lot of things you see here. Kristy Tongate did a wonderful job getting us ready for this. I want to thank y’all for coming.”
Crawford, on behalf of the City of Brownwood, said, “I want to say congratulations. This is a fantastic addition, or renewal I should say, for a legacy partner for the City of Brownwood. Thank you for investing in our community. Anytime, a homeowner or a business invests in their property, they make all of Brownwood better. You have completely renovated this corner. With all of the other improvements going on in downtown Brownwood, renovations of the Coliseum and the Timmons building, we’re so proud of this corridor bringing new life and beauty to Brownwood, our home. So, thank you and congratulations.”
Citizens National Bank’s downtown Brownwood roots date to 1883 and the “Coggin Brothers and Ford Bank,” mercantile store, which later evolved into the Citizens National Bank. It was last chartered on Sept. 28, 1934.