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Sam LaPorte, a local attorney, has served on the board since 1992. “We will miss Sam’s leadership but are excited to have his son Drew joining the board,” Chairman Joe LaPorte said. “A LaPorte has been involved in a leadership role for over 60 years at the bank and we are excited to have a third generation LaPorte join the bank as a board member.”
Drew LaPorte earned his B.S. Degree in Business Administration, Accounting from the University of Tennessee Haslam School of Business, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Drew currently works for the Chancery Court for Carter County, Tenn., as the Clerk & Master. “I have seen the community involvement of my dad and uncles, and I look forward to continuing the tradition of giving back to the community,” Drew said. “We owe most of our success to the community we were brought up in and there was no real draw for me to live anywhere else.”
Chairman LaPorte stated “Citizens Bank is committed to remaining independent and giving our customers the personalized service they deserve.”
It is fitting that banking has become a family affair for the LaPortes. Even as Citizens Bank has enjoyed decades of steady, solid growth, Joe LaPorte III has strived to maintain the family atmosphere that makes the bank such a special place for employees and customers alike.
The bank’s ability to reach new markets while expanding into subsidiary businesses such as brokerage, finance and SBA lending are a testament to the approach charted by “Papa” Joe LaPorte Jr. Today Citizens Bank is well capitalized and poised to succeed well into the future while reinvesting into the community at every turn.