Did you know that in 1878 Evans City was an oil boomtown and a main railroad link between Pittsburgh and Chicago?

Because of a great need to protect and access cash at that time, NexTier Bank, formerly Citizens National Bank, began operations in Evans City. The vault at the original Main Street office cost $524 and is the oldest bank vault east of the Mississippi.

The bank's leadership is unique, led by four generations of the Irvine family since its founding.

Leading with a promise and a handshake, S.J. Irvine Sr. was the first president. He helped many Butler County families, farmers and businesses create opportunities by providing interest-only mortgages and loans.

Through the 1929 market crash and Great Depression, the bank operated while many of the nation's banks collapsed. In 1933, a telegram from President Franklin D. Roosevelt told all banks to close their doors. But, knowing what the telegram said, S.J. Irvine Sr. refused to open the telegram and kept the bank open. He felt the bank was there for the community, and he would not turn his back on his customers in their time of need.

He remained president until 1940, at which time his son, S.J. Irvine Jr., John, assumed leadership. John continued his father's tradition of closing bank agreements with a handshake.

In 1955, S.J. "Buzz" Irvine III succeeded his father and grandfather and became the bank's third-generation president after graduating from the University of Maryland and playing professional football.

In 1959, Buzz led the bank through a progressive expansion program, beginning with the Wexford community office. In addition, Don Shamey joined the bank in 1974 as a trainee. Today he is NexTier's Chief Executive Officer.

NexTier's branch network serves Butler, Armstrong and northern Allegheny counties, as well as Radnor Trust in Radnor.

With another new century came new leadership. In 2000, Buzz's daughter, Margaret Irvine Weir, became the fourth-generation president with Buzz as chairman of the board and Don Shamey as CEO.

In 2005, a new name, NexTier Bank, was chosen to position the enterprise for the future.

Today, NexTier differentiates its businesses as NexTier Bank, NexTier Mortgage, NexTier Insurance Services, NexTier Wealth Management, The Family Business Center at NexTier, and NexTier Armored Services. NexTier Bank also operates a commercial lending office in Phoenix.

NexTier has 300 employees, $500 million in assets and corporate offices in Butler and Wexford.