Celebrating 90 Years of Community Banking

Local Bank Withstands the Test of Time

November 12, 2009 marks the 90th anniversary of Farmers Bank, a milestone that many businesses today never reach. Founded in 1919 by Shirley T. Holland, with just $20,000 in capital, Farmers Bank has become one of the region’s biggest home-grown success stories, with five branch locations, $400 million in assets and a full range of state-of-the-art services.

As one of the oldest financial institutes in Hampton Roads, Farmers Bank has always strived to be more than just a bank to the community they served. From sponsoring the local Humane Society’s Mutt Strut, to funding scholarships for local high schools, or just being there for a customer that needs to talk, Farmers Bank has stayed true to the values on which it was founded.

Dick Holland, Shirley T. Holland’s grandson and the current president and CEO of Farmers Bank, remembers his grandfather’s passion for the bank he founded. “He lived and breathed it,” recalls Holland. “Next to his family, it was his focus in life. He was very attentive to his customers and his constituents, and he would personally work on the smallest of details.”

While Farmers has grown with the times offering customers Internet banking, remote capture deposit, and new hi-tech ATM’s, customers will still find the same things they have for the past 90 years–open doors to all executive offices, tellers that know your name, and an honest and responsible partner.