Emanuel County Chamber Spotlight: Durden Banking Company, Inc.

Posted

In 1935, America faced the long road to recovery following the turmoil and uncertainty of the Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had just announced a massive new public works program called the Works Projects Administration (WPA) and plans for an all-inclusive social security system. The WPA was destined to create millions of jobs for the unemployed. The program restored forests, built streets & highways, constructed buildings, and extended electrical power to every rural area of the country. Social Security would soon provide a brighter future for the masses. It was during these dark and difficult days Durden Banking Company, Inc. was founded. The bank, then located in the small community called Summit, Georgia, received its charter on June 26th, 1935 and opened its doors for business nine days later on July 5th. Organizers Robert Wade Durden and wife Annie Kate Roberts Durden had a simple plan for success— “serving the needs of the community we serve”. The bank opened its doors with $38,935.00 in deposits and began serving a wide range of customers characterized as both large and small accounts. Today, Durden Banking Company, Inc., with 46 employees and offices located in Twin City,

Swainsboro, Metter, and Millen, serves a growing customer base.
Durden Banking Company provides financial services for the customers in our area in a fair manner to meet the needs of the customer, stockholders, employees, and other parties with interest in the bank. They offer many products and services including consumer, agricultural, commercial, and real estate loans, personal and business checking accounts, electronic banking, savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, ACH origination, bank-by-mail, direct deposit, notary services, safe deposit boxes, and wire transfers. Durden Bank’s purpose is to be an independent bank, locally operated to take care of the needs of the communities that they serve. They strive for consistent growth and profitability for the benefit of their stockholders, customers, and employees. The bank’s values are servant leadership, community support, accountability, and integrity, and their goal is to serve the needs of the communities they serve.

Durden Banking Company is involved in the community in various ways such as sponsoring the “mini-bank” in Emanuel County Elementary Schools and their “Get Smart about Banking” Program for high school students, teaching youth financial responsibility. The bank’s employees are involved in several community programs including Lions Club, Rotary International, Kiwanis, PTO, Development Authority, and the Chamber of Commerce. They also partner with the Red Cross to host community blood drives and have several Blue Jean Friday Fundraisers benefiting local charities. Durden Bank is a collection center for Toys for Tots, and they help in recruiting applicants for the Jan and Julian Hester Scholarship.

Durden Bank is a Chamber Member to be a part of a great team. They believe the Chamber and its members strengthen each other through its network, and it’s a great organization because you give and gain from it. Something interesting about the business is that they’re locally owned. Their shareholders are people that live in this community, and all decisions they make are made by local people.

Durden Banking Company has two locations in Emanuel County. The Twin City bank is located at 111 North Railroad Avenue, and the Swainsboro bank is located at 318 South Main Street. Durden Banking Company’s hours of operation are Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.; Fridays, 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; and Saturdays (Twin City), 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. Contact Durden Banking Company via phone by dialing 478-763-2121 (Twin City) or 478-237-2121 (Swainsboro). Durden Banking Company can also be accessed online by visiting their website, www.durdenbc.com.