Farmers National Bank has been rooted firmly in community banking for 110 years.

Headquartered in Venango County, the bank has 13 offices in Venango, Butler, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Jefferson and Mercer counties.

"We're local, we're community oriented, we're disciplined and we're flexible," said chairman, president and CEO William C. Marsh.

Marsh, an Oil City native and CPA, began his career at Farmers in 2001 as chief financial officer and, in 2006, was named executive vice president of the bank's holding company, Emclaire Financial Corp.

Backed by its shareholders, the board of directors and 125 employees, Farmers has increased its assets under management to $460 million and experienced 20 percent growth by buying the former National City Bank $90 million branch in Titusville for $3 million.

At a time of economic uncertainty, Farmers National, which was named one of the top 100 community banks in the country by the American Association Banking Journal in 2009, has become synonymous with "solid, safe and secure."

The FDIC-insured institution is well capitalized with a strong deposit base and a prudent management approach.

Farmers' branch managers have local lending authority for mortgages, home equity and consumer loans. The bank also has four commercial loan officers who handle all small-business lending.

Raymond M. Lawton, senior vice president, chief lending officer and chief credit officer, has been in banking for nearly 35 years, 10 at Farmers, and is responsible for the safety and soundness of lending. The bank's portfolio includes about $300 million in loans.

Farmers has placed particular emphasis on the recruitment and retention of an experienced management team and talented associates.

According to Paige H. Turk, Farmers' senior vice president of human resources and marketing, many of Farmers' longtime employees have been with the bank for 20, 25 and even 35 years.

At Farmers, she said, employees are personally invested in the communities in which they live and work, so it's not uncommon to see them pitching in at a food drive, volunteering on a local board or helping out at a sport event.

Lisa R. Zigo, senior vice president of operations at Farmers who has been with the bank since 2000, oversees the bank's deposit operations, IT functions, loan operations, and product management functions. Farmers, she said, has retrenched to ensure that it is current in its technology and its communications networks.

The board of directors is committed to being an independent community bank. Farmers has demonstrated this with startup offices in Cranberry and Grove City, the acquisition of the Elk County Savings & Loan in Ridgway, and in 2009, the acquisition of the full-service branch office of National City Bank in Titusville.

Edward A. Andrulonis, senior vice president of branch banking and financial services, who has nearly 20 years of experience in community banking, says the move was a huge undertaking, but it now accounts for 20 percent of the bank's total operations.

At a time when banks are facing much more scrutiny from regulators and the public, and increased competition, Farmers' strength is its flexibility, local decision-making and personal service.

This article was submitted by Farmers National Bank.