Bank branch expansion in the midstate and beyond

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• Mansfield-based First Citizens Community Bank surprised in 2015 when it went out of its market to acquire First National Bank of Fredericksburg in Lebanon County.

At the time of the acquisition announcement, First Citizens President and CEO Randall E. Black said any future expansions would likely be fill-ins between First Citizens’ natural footprint in the Northern Tier area and FNB Fredericksburg’s footprint in Lebanon, Berks and Schuylkill counties.

The Tioga County bank’s newest branch fits that description. Wynfield, Union County, a small town along Route 15 between Selinsgrove and Lewisburg, will be the home of the new branch. It’s the bank’s only branch between Lock Haven and the Lebanon area.

• Coatesville Savings Bank of Chester County is another bank  established in Lancaster County, but looking to expand in a market that has experienced intense market disruption from recent bank acquisitions.

Since the start of 2015, midstate community banks Mid Penn, Orrstown, PeoplesBank and Centric have made moves into Lancaster County. A group of county investors is waiting for approval from regulators to buy Stonebridge Bank and move it into Lancaster County as Hamilton Bank.

That approval is expected in early summer, according to the leader of the investment group, former state Rep. Gordon Denlinger.

Coatesville Savings has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities to open a limited services branch in the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community on Robert Fulton Highway. The town already has seen one of its bank branches close as a result of the acquisitions. BB&T closed a former National Penn branch in Bart Township.

Two of Coatesville Savings’ four full-service branches are in Lancaster County.

• PeoplesBank is continuing its expansion in northern Maryland, opening a new branch just off Interstate 83 in Parkton, a town in northern Baltimore County.

The branch is a former Santander Bank branch, according to address records.

PeoplesBank has been active in the northern Maryland area in the last two years. It finished off its acquisition of four-branch Madison Bank in 2015, and the latest branch opening makes seven branches in Maryland for the York Township-based bank. The bank has 23 full-service branches throughout its footprint, another seven limited-services branches and two business banking facilities.