By Brett Dunlap
Special to the Times
Peoples Bank broke ground Monday on the site of its newest location near Sam's Club in Vienna, W.Va.
Around 50 people, including bank officials, local elected officials and others, gathered at 1102 Grand Central Ave. in Vienna for the official dedication of work to begin on Peoples Bank's fifth location in Wood County and to commemorate the company's 110th anniversary.
The new location will offer banking, wealth management and insurance services for consumers and businesses along with a 24-hour drive-up ATM and drive-through banking. The new office will feature a community room and the area's first public electric car-charging stations.
"I am just as equally honored to be representing the bank today as what we are to be expanding our footprint in such a wonderful community," said Barb Close, who will lead the retail business line at the new office. "By offering wealth management, insurance, deposit and lending services at one location, we can handle any customer's financial need."
Vienna City Councilman Paul Thornton, representing the city, welcomed Peoples as an expanding business partner.
The city has been trying to develop the location the bank will sit on for some time, Thornton said. The site used to have an auto parts store/garage on it.
"We always thought this property was well suited for a banking institution," he said. "We are very pleased to have Peoples Bank having chosen Vienna to expand their services.
Jill Parsons, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley, commented on the correlation of the company's 110th anniversary and the opening of this branch.
"In just over 110 days we should be standing here and walking through the new building," she said.
Chuck Sulerzyski, president and chief executive officer at Peoples Bank, said the company is excited about the new $2 million facility.
The Vienna Peoples Bank office will be approximately 4,255 square feet and is scheduled to be completed in November.
