TAZEWELL, Tenn., January 18, 2019 – First Century Bank is pleased to announce the opening of their newest branch located at 625 Market Street in Downtown Knoxville. “We are very excited to be a part of the growth and revitalization of Downtown Knoxville” says Rob Barger, President and CEO. “We saw the opportunity and the need in downtown Knoxville for a locally owned and operated community bank, something that’s unique in today’s banking environment”. First Century Bank, founded in 1899, is a family owned and operated organization based out of Tazewell, TN. Chairperson, Eleanor Yoakum, is second generation in the bank and her son Rob Barger is third generation.
The 625 Market Street location is a Full-Service branch, complete with both Retail and Commercial Banking products & services. “We are a relationship-oriented bank that focuses on businesses and individuals. We aren’t on every street corner like some of our competitors, but we make up for that with strong relationships and personal service” says, Rex Rauhuff, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. “We are excited to show the Downtown market the great benefits and advantages that a community bank offers. I think they will be impressed”.
First Century Bank is a privately-owned financial institution with $385 million dollars in total assets. First Century Bank currently has 8 branch locations: Tazewell, New Tazewell, Harrogate, Sneedville, Maynardville, Powell, Maryville, and Knoxville. This is First Century’s second branch office in Knox County. The 600 East Emory Road office in North Knox opened in 1998. In 2015, First Century opened their seventh branch in Maryville located at 1522 W Broadway Ave.
In 2018, First Century was recognized by Bank Street Partners (a leading investment banking firm based in Charlotte, NC) as the number one overall bank in the State of Tennessee. This ranking is comprised of key bank performance measures such as: income, asset quality, net interest margin, total overhead, and return on equity. As a family owned organization, First Century Bank takes pride in being a responsible leader and key advocate of the communities they serve. Additionally, they encourage employee involvement and participation to enhance the quality of life in the areas they serve. Learn more about First Century by visiting their website at www.firstcenturybank.com.