Community Banking: How and Why It’s Different
Merchants & Marine Bank
Community bank proudly serving the Gulf Coast Region for more than 120 years. Member FDIC – an Equal Housing Lender
National banks. Regional banks. Local community banks and credit unions. In the United States, we're fortunate to have lots of options when it comes to how we choose to do our banking. How have you approached choosing the right fit for you or your business??
Merchants & Marine Bank is a community bank, so obviously, we're partial to the community bank approach. But as individuals, that preference is personal. Everyone on our team — up to and including our President and CEO — chose to work at Merchants & Marine Bank because we were drawn to the community bank model and felt called to a career that allows us to serve our neighbors in a real, ongoing way.?
For those of you who aren't fully familiar with the community bank model, here are a few touchstones that, to us, make a case for why you'd choose to bank with a community bank.?
Your Neighbors Provide Personal Service
Our Merchants & Marine Bank team members live and work in Alabama and Mississippi communities they love. When you visit our branches, it’s your neighbors providing your banking services — and they know and care about you.?
The community bank model hinges on this approach. You're not a number, and we're aiming for a long-term relationship. Our team treats you with the commitment, dedication, and level of understanding that matches that aim.
You Support Your Community
When you bank with a community bank, your money stays local. Your deposit accounts support the bank's ability to lend to local businesses, and that boosts the local economy. By simply choosing a community bank, you're making a real investment in your own community.?
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Community banks like ours are also known for — and committed to — giving back within the community. Merchants & Marine Bank routinely donates to charities and organizations in our Alabama and Mississippi communities, including local non-profits and educational programs.
You Save Money, in Multiple Ways
A bank is where you save money, in the "depositing in a savings account" way. A community bank helps you save money in the "lower rates and fees" way too.??
Check out the blog post "Why Should I Bank with a Community Bank?" on our website for a breakdown of how much less you'll spend on monthly fees by banking with a smaller local bank like Merchants & Marine Bank.?
Learn More
Interested in knowing more about community banking, and specifically, our community bank? Head to the Merchants & Marine Bank website to explore more about our 120-plus-year history serving the needs of our Clients and communities.??
And if you have any questions, please feel encouraged to reach out. We're always here to help.?
Partner at Velligan-Blaxall Consultants, LLC
2 年I have worked for and banked at community institutions my entire career, and I support the notion that they are essential to the health of the community they serve. My children have always enjoyed going to the bank; there’s just something fascinating about a branch. I think it is because, at its core, banking is a beacon of trust; without it, a community is much worse off.