Editor’s note: April is Community Banking Month. See inside for a special section dedicated to our community banks.

BB&T Bank has been part of the Harlan County banking scene for 16 years, offering a number of services to customers in that time.

According to Scott Sherman, BB&T is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the United States. Sherman has been with BB&T for many years, beginning in 2006. He worked for BB&T from 2006 until 2014, then returned as market leader for the BB&T branches in Harlan County in April 2017.

“Building on a long tradition of excellence in community banking, BB&T offers a wide range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, investments, insurance, wealth management, asset management, mortgage, corporate banking, capital markets and specialized lending,” Sherman said. “Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, BB&T operates more than 2,000 financial centers in 15 states and Washington, D.C. A Fortune 500 company, BB&T is consistently recognized for outstanding client service by Greenwich Associates for small business and middle market banking. BB&T was formed in the small eastern North Carolina farming community of Wilson in 1872.”

Sherman explained how BB&T opened up in Harlan.

“BB&T entered Harlan County in July 2002 through the acquisition of Area Bank,” Sherman said. “Currently the bank operates full service banks and ATMs in Cumberland, Evarts and Harlan, plus an ATM located inside Harlan ARH.”

Before being acquired by Area Bank, the institution that was eventually purchased by BB&T had a long history in Harlan.

Sherman stated the Harlan National Bank was charted on March 16, 1916 and Guaranty Deposit Bank was chartered on May 16, 1936 in Cumberland. These two banks merged under the Harlan National banner in January 1990 before the name changed to HNB Bank in July 1994. On October 2, 2000, Area Bank assumed operations of HNB until becoming a part of BB&T in July 2002.

BB&T employs 15 Harlan County residents in its three local branches. The banking experience of the nine full-time employees ranges from nine to 33 years.

The bank also now offers more services than were available in those first years, including mobile banking.

“The U by BB&T mobile banking platform is an industry leading app that allows clients to plan their finances by viewing all of their accounts, creating budgets, setting goals, and analyze their investments,” Sherman said. “It also offers mobile check deposits and the ability send money quickly and safely with Zelle.”

Special events coming up for BB&T include the 10th annual Lighthouse project, which this year will benefit the Tri City Senior Citizens Center. The bank will provide materials and bank employee labor to assist refurbishing the interior of the center later this spring. BB&T has also provided financial assistance to other local nonprofits over the years along with serving the community in other ways, such as a community document shredding event and bringing financial literacy assistance with the BB&T bank bus.