At Bank of the Valley, we never stop working to earn your trust and business. We know you have a choice in whom you entrust with your financial needs and are grateful for the opportunity to ensure your continued financial health, and that of the community that we so proudly serve.

The Independent Community Bankers Association is reminding customers that community banks are financial stewards of their communities, helping to fund more than 60 percent of small businesses and more than 80 percent of agricultural loans, while also helping local families finance major life purchases and build financial security. Community banks:

• Respect and honor community ties. They channel loans to neighborhoods where their depositors live and work, which helps keeps the local economy churning.
• Are relationship lenders, taking a holistic approach to lending that considers numerous sources of information, including credit history and discretionary spending.
• Understand and embrace local businesses. The Federal Reserve has repeatedly found that small businesses that apply for loans with community banks are more successful and satisfied.
• Are innovative. They partner with innovative technology providers to deliver high-tech, high-touch customer experiences.
• Give back. Serving local communities is a part of the community bank tradition.

“Community banks have built their reputation on providing a comprehensive suite of financial products and services that address the unique needs of their customers at every phase of their financial journey," ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said. “Where you choose to bank matters because it’s the first step in building a life-long relationship that can put you on the path to financial freedom. ICBA is honored to represent the nation’s community bankers that make a difference in the financial lives of their customers every day.”

For more information about community banks and to find one of Bank of the Valley’s local branches, visit banklocally.org.

About ICBA
The Independent Community Bankers of America® creates and promotes an environment where community banks flourish. ICBA is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education, and high-quality products and services.

With nearly 50,000 locations nationwide, community banks constitute roughly 99 percent of all banks, employ nearly 700,000 Americans and are the only physical banking presence in one in three U.S. counties. Holding more than $5.8 trillion in assets, over $4.9 trillion in deposits, and more than $3.5 trillion in loans to consumers, small businesses and the agricultural community, community banks channel local deposits into the Main Streets and neighborhoods they serve, spurring job creation, fostering innovation and fueling their customers’ dreams in communities throughout America. For more information, visit ICBA’s website at ww.icba.org