Centennial Bank built its franchise on community banking.
In just over 20 years, Centennial Bank has kept community service as a pillar of its foundation. Proof can be found on Centennial’s social media pages, where customers have been figuratively lining up to heap literal praise on the bank for its support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From small businesses expressing their gratitude for stimulus loan assistance to bank personnel dropping off pizzas at reopening local businesses, it is clear Centennial Bank is staying true to the communities for which it was founded, including its home base of Conway.
With more than $15 billion in assets, the bank has grown to include locations in Florida, Alabama and New York, but no matter how many communities in which it has branches, Centennial is dedicated to each one through involvement, customer service and support of local charities.
Centennial Bank was predated by a combination of banks purchased or founded by John W. Allison and Robert H. “Bunny” Adcock Jr., after the duo led a group of investors to form Home Bancshares Inc. Conway’s First State Bank was formed after Home Bancshares Inc. obtained a bank charter in 1999, and what was to become known as Centennial Bank was born.
In 2008-2009, all charters — which by then included Home BancShares, Twin City Bank, Community Bank and Centennial Bank, among others — were collapsed under the Centennial Bank brand.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Home Bancshares Inc., Centennial Bank celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, when Allison noted the bank had completed 23 acquisitions in its lifetime.
“We’ve gone from Main Street to Wall Street, and Centennial now serves over 100 communities, but we are proud to continue to call Conway, Arkansas, home,” Allison said.
Twice ranked among Forbes’ “Best Banks in America,” Centennial Bank provides commercial and retail banking and related financial services to businesses, investors, individuals and communities. It has grown from what Allison called a “dirty dozen” of about 12 employees — most of whom are still with the company — to more than 1,800. With more than 430 of those employees in Conway, Centennial is one of the city’s largest employers.
“Centennial is an incredible corporate citizen in Conway,” said Brad Lacy, President & CEO, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. “As one of our largest investors and the underwriter of Outlook Conway, they are a key partner in the Chamber’s and Conway Development Corporation’s economic and community development strategies.”
Throughout its growth, Centennial Bank has remained the community friend it set out to be, supporting schools, neighborhoods and communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and local investment.
“Our bank has changed the lives of a lot of people,” Allison said. “It’s educated their kids, paid off their homes, secured their retirements. For me, that’s pretty heartwarming. It’s good to share and see other people enjoy success.”
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