News from The Bank of Marion

The Bank of Marion's - New River Valley Branch Opens

The Bank of Marion - New River Valley officially opened Friday, August 18 at 10 a.m. at 220 West Main in Radford, Virginia. The Radford Chamber of Commerce presided over a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new bank. Open House for the public was also held that day.

The new bank will specialize in mortgage lending. Among the bank’s many home loan offerings is a no down payment home loan made and serviced by The Bank of Marion. That loan, the bank says, is for individuals and families who have solid employment and a good credit rating but haven’t been able to save enough money for a down payment on a home.

Business loans, personal loans, and financing of new home construction and land purchases will also be offered by the bank. It will not offer checking or savings accounts.

Mark Arney, a resident of the Poplar Hill community in Giles County, Virginia near Pearisburg,  is the bank’s Branch Manager and Loan Officer. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Asheville and has over 23 years of experience in the mortgage industry. He is a Virginia-licensed Mortgage Loan Officer.

Mr. Arney is a Board Member of the Shady Grove Church in Poplar Hill, the White Gate Ruritan Club, and a volunteer with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Outdoor Program. In his free time, he enjoys cattle farming, woodworking, kayak fishing, and spending time with his wife, Susan Carr Arney and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who, Mr. Arney says, “…thinks she is a farm dog!”

“We are very pleased that Mark has joined our bank as manager of our New River Branch,”  said Chris Snodgrass, President, and CEO of The Bank of Marion. “His vast experience as a mortgage lender and his commitment to community service will be a valuable asset to a community bank such as ours and to this great region of Virginia.”

Mr. Arney said he was proud to be instrumental in opening the New River Valley branch bank.  “I could not be more excited about the future of this branch,” he said. “Living and working in the New River Valley and doing what I love is a dream come true.”

The Bank of Marion was established in 1874 and is the third oldest bank in Virginia. Its New River Valley branch is the bank’s 19^th branch or office in Southwestern Virginia and the Virginia-Tennessee Tri-Cities.

Charlie Clark, Chairman of The Bank of Marion’s Board of Directors, cuts the ribbon to officially open The Bank of Marion – New River Valley. He is assisted by Radford, Virginia Mayor, David Horton (to Mr. Clark’s left) and Chris Snodgrass, President and CEO of The Bank of Marion, (to Mr. Clark’s right.)

Mr. Snodgrass is flanked by Mark Arney, Branch Manager and Loan Officer; Mr. Arney’s wife, Susan, and Tim Carter, a member of the bank’s board of directors.
 

Patrick Henry High School Student Wins $2,500 Bank Scholarship

May 11, 2023 - Marion, VA   In March, more than 460 Virginia high school students registered for the Virginia Bankers Association (VBA) Bank Day Scholarship Program with 26 banks across the state. On May 8, it was announced that a senior at Patrick Henry High School had won a $2,500 scholarship to her college of choice, thanks to that program and The Bank of Glade Spring, a branch of The Bank of Marion.

Through this program, 17 local students spent a day in a branch of The Bank of Marion, learning about career opportunities in banking, how banks support communities, and ways to manage their own financial futures. These students wrote essays about their experiences, and a total of $26,000 in scholarships was awarded by the VBA Education Foundation to 12 students on the merits of their essays.

This year, there were six regional winners who each received a $2,500 scholarship. One of those winners was Baleigh Belcher of Meadowview, Virginia. Miss Belcher spent Bank Day at The Bank of Glade Spring, hosted by Branch Manager, Garnet Lester, and the branch staff. Afterwards, she wrote and submitted her essay, which was judged to be one of the six best in the state and resulted in her scholarship.

Miss Belcher plans to attend Emory & Henry College in the fall and major in accounting. She then plans to become a C.P.A. She is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers in preschool ministry at Highlands Fellowship in Abingdon.

“My biggest accomplishment so far is graduating high school with my associate degree from Virginia Highlands Community College,” she says.

“We congratulate Miss Belcher on her selection as the Southwest Virginia Region Winner for the 2023 VBA Bank Day Scholarship program. It is our honor to support this program and host local students each year,” said Tammy Shuler, Marketing Assistant with The Bank of Marion, and manager of its Bank Day Scholarship Program.

Baleigh Belcher

Marcus A. Lomans

Marcus Lomans Named Bank of Marion Chief Operating Officer

February 21, 2023 – Marion, VA   Chilhowie resident Marcus A. Lomans has been named Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at The Bank of Marion. Mr. Lomans replaces William C. “Billy” Buchanan, who recently retired from that position. The announcement of Mr. Lomans’ promotion was made by the bank’s President and C.E.O, Christopher B. “Chris” Snodgrass.

A longtime resident of Chilhowie, Mr. Lomans was the bank’s Assistant Operations Officer prior to his promotion. He joined the bank in June of 2017. He has over eight years of banking experience, five of them with The Bank of Marion. He is a former manager of The Bank of Chilhowie, a branch of The Bank of Marion.

“I am pleased that Marcus has moved into this key position on our executive staff,” Mr. Snodgrass said. “Marcus is a dedicated banker with a deep skill set in bank operations. He has been a key player in most of our recent technical projects aimed at continuous improvement in customer service and bank operations.”

Mr. Lomans is a graduate of Chilhowie High School and The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He holds an M.B.A from King University in Bristol, Tennessee and is a graduate of Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management in Charlottesville.

Mr. Lomans is active in community youth sports, especially in basketball, football, and track. He also has a deep interest in Chilhowie history. His great-great-grandfather, Reverend George Washington Lomans, not only established and pastored First Baptist Church in Chilhowie, but established a general store named Lomans Grocery. He and Marcus Lomans’ great-grandfather, Beverly Lomans, operated this community store for 85 years.

Mr. Lomans stated that he was pleased to accept his appointment to his new position. He said, “I appreciate being a community banker and I especially enjoy engaging with bank customers and my fellow employees.” 

The Bank of Marion has 18 branches and offices in Southwestern Virginia and the Virginia-Tennessee Tri-Cities. It was established in 1874 and is Virginia’s third oldest bank.

Bank of Marion C.O.O. “Billy” Buchanan Retires
 

January 16, 2023 – Marion, VA   William C. “Billy” Buchanan, Vice President and Chief Operations Officer with The Bank of Marion, has retired after almost 42 years of service. The announcement of Mr. Buchanan’s retirement was made by the bank’s President and C.E.O, Christopher B. “Chris” Snodgrass.

A lifetime resident of Marion, Mr. Buchanan joined the bank in 1981 as a collections officer. He was soon promoted to Internal Auditor and rose through the ranks serving as Human Resources Officer, Loan Officer, and Operations Officer before being promoted to C.O.O. Mr. Buchanan is a graduate of Marion Senior High School, Emory & Henry College, the University of Virginia School of Bank Management, and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
 
Mr. Buchanan’s service to the community is well known and respected. He was instrumental in the Town of Marion’s acceptance into the Virginia Main Street Program and is a past president and treasurer of the Marion Downtown Revitalization Association. He is a member of the Marion Economic Development Authority and has served on the Marion Zoning and Appeals Board. In addition to his many other services to his community, Mr. Buchanan is treasurer of the Appalachian Music Heritage Association, producer of the nationally syndicated “Song of the Mountains” television series.

Upon his retirement, Mr. Buchanan said, “I consider myself fortunate to have gotten a job straight out of college at a community-owned business that has been very good to me over the past 41 years.  I have made a lot of friends inside and outside of The Bank of Marion - friendships that I very much value.”

“Billy Buchanan has been a tremendous resource and asset in the growth of The Bank of Marion,” said Mr. Snodgrass. “Billy joined the bank when we had only two branches, and now we have 17 branches and offices. He undoubtedly contributed significantly to our growth and our adoption of new technologies to better serve our customers. He will be missed by all of us at The Bank of Marion.”

Mr. Snodgrass also announced that Chilhowie resident Marcus A. Lomans will the bank’s new Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. Mr. Lomans joined the bank in June of 2017 and was Assistant Operations Officer at the time of his promotion. He is a former manager of The Bank of Chilhowie, a branch of The Bank of Marion.

William C. “Billy” Buchanan