On April 5, 2022, Jerry D. Bell, Vice President and Residential Lending Team Leader for the Benton Banking Center at Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB), will celebrate 60 years in the banking industry. Among many things, Bell can tell you about changes that have taken place in the finance world over those years or memories that stand out to him, but will ultimately say that what truly matters are the people he’s had the honor to serve. Relationships he has made over time, clients he has served through generations of families, and a community that he is proud to be a part of are the highlights of his years in Marshall County.
Bell started out at the Bank of Marshall County in 1962 where he was doing bookkeeping and running the proof machine. He became head of bookkeeping two years later. Not long after, he moved “upstairs” to the note teller department. In 1967, he became the branch manager at Gilbertsville where he made a variety of loans including real estate, car, business and just about any kind of loan a person could need. Bell notes “At this point, my loan portfolio was 25% of the bank’s portfolio overall and that was an accomplishment!”
In 1976 he moved back to Benton as an officer focusing on consumer, business and real estate loans. Other titles were added to him over that time including Director of Marshall County Bank and Director of Graves County Bank under the direction of President Larry Wright.
Some clients will remember that from 1965-1987, Bell worked two jobs. “Those days businesses were closed on Thursday and I worked at Paducah Livestock Auction on my day off from the bank. Clients that were farmers knew I worked in cattle too so I would look at what they wanted to sell, decide if I wanted it or sent it to the sale.” Bell gave up the cattle job in 1987.
Bell has graduated from several institutions including The Business School in Paducah in 1962, the Kentucky School of Banking in 1967, the Consumer Banking School at the University of Virginia in 1978 and the Barret School of Banking in Memphis in 1984.
Bell remained Executive Vice President at the Bank of Marshall County until 1995 when he went to work at the Bank of Benton, which is now known as CFSB.
When asked what changes are most vivid in his mind over time, Bell explains that the technology of banking has changed drastically. “The biggest change I’ve witnessed is how Information Technology became such an important role in banking and now the consumer can use online banking from anywhere.”
Bell says his goal is to continue to service his clients for any of their banking needs for as long as his health will allow. “Mr. Morgan at Bank of Marshall County worked until he was 81 and I have always said I wanted to beat him. I’m three years away from that goal!” He admits that all he has left to accomplish is to continue being profitable for the bank and for his clients to continue coming here with their families after he leaves because of the service he has provided them.
When asked what Bell would tell younger bankers just getting into the finance world, he explained “Pick someone out to be your mentor and then try different jobs to see if it’s a good fit. Learn anything you can!”