Expansion in the Works at Flint Community Bank
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
Flint Community Bank is planning to break ground on August 1st on a new operations center located on the lot behind the bank's current facility. The 3,500 square foot center will house deposit and loan operations, regulatory compliance and IT support.
"We moved into our current building in July 2007 and it's taken a while but we've filled it. By moving operations to a new building, we can open up 10 or 11 offices in our current space to accommodate our growth," said President and CEO Scott Tomlinson.
Customer-facing functions such as business development, marketing and customer service will continue to occupy the existing bank building. According to Tomlinson, Flint has grown revenues and profits by double-digits every year since it opened. In its latest FDIC filing from April 2012, the bank listed $129.45 million in assets and $118.4 million in liabilities.
"We've been successful in the worst economic times ever and I attribute that to our board of directors and the great team we have in place," Tomlinson said.
"That's not bragging; that's rejoicing. We've learned how to live in these tough times and that bodes well for us as the economy improves."
A Growing Commercial Business
The majority of Flint's growth has been in the commercial real estate market, particularly in owner-occupied businesses. Nearly all of the businesses are located in Dougherty and Lee County.
"Attorney, doctors, accountants, dentists – professionals that own the real estate that houses their business have been a major source of growth for us," Tomlinson said.
The market for commercial real estate loans is very competitive with many banks willing to offer better terms to "buy" the business, according to Tomlinson.
"We have a great CFO and board. They do an excellent job of figuring out where we want to do business and where we may choose not to compete," he said.
Unmatched Personal Service
As a small bank, Flint prides itself on the personal service it offers to customers. With everyone in one location, the bank is able to quickly address any issues that may occur.
"Our technology – online and mobile – is advanced as any bank in town, but if customers have a problem, they want to speak to a person. We give personal service that the large banks cannot match," Tomlinson said.
Beyond service, customers are attracted to Flint by its strong financials, according to Tomlinson. The bank has a reputation for being well capitalized with good earnings.
"If you deposit money in a bank, you want it to be safe. People have gotten savvier about bank financials. They listen to the media and they can even go out to the Internet to see the financials for their bank," Tomlinson said.
More information on Flint Community Bank is available at www.flintcommunitybank.com.
