Our Story, Mission, and History

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Our Story

We’ve been serving our Vermont communities for over 165 years. Organized in 1851 as the Peoples Bank, and nationally chartered in 1865 as the National Bank of Derby Line. In 1975 we purchased the Island Pond National Bank and changed our name to Community National Bank.

Today we have 12 retail offices in Orleans, Essex, Caledonia, Washington, Franklin and Lamoille counties. We also have 2 loan production offices, one in Chittenden county and the other in Grafton county New Hampshire.
We offer a complete line of personal and business products and services along with offerings for non-profit organizations, municipalities and local governments. We’re one-third owner Community Financial Services Group, LLC, our trust and investment affiliate.

Our contributions to the community, our lending practices and our employee volunteerism make us a genuine community bank, Vermont’s Community Bank. Community National Bank’s corporate color is blue; “true blue” because of our dedication to staying true to our mission proudly displayed in each office.

Our Mission

Collectively channeling our passions for people and community into delivery of financial solutions.

Our History

Here’s how this Vermont Community Bank has grown through the years.

1851
- Originated as Peoples Bank in Derby Line, Vermont
1865
- National chartered as National Bank of Derby Line
1926
- National Bank of Derby Line obtained trust powers
1975
- The first branch office opened in Derby, VT and total bank assets were $10.2 million.
- Acquired Island Pond National Bank
- Changed name to Community National Bank
- Main office relocated from Derby Line to Derby, VT and total bank assets were $39.6 million
1981
- Barton office opened in the C&C supermarket on Church Street
1982
- CNB introduced its exclusive Weekly Payment Mortgage
1983
- Community Bancorp., our bank holding company, was formed
1984
- Newport office opened in the Fedele's grocery store on Main Street
1985
- Barton office outgrew grocer store and relocated to 103 Church Street
1986
- Troy office opened at 4245 VT Route 101
1988
- Launched Community Circle seniors' program
1990
- Total bank assets of 143.9 million at year-end
1992
- Introduced first "Community Booster Loan" program
1993
- Major addition to Derby office completed
- Installed first Automated Teller Machine (ATM)
1994
- Island Pond office relocated to historic railroad station at 23 VT Route 105
- Telephone Banking offered
- Business Circle is started
1995
- St. Johnsbury office, first Caledonia County office, opened in Price Chopper building at 857 Memorial Drive
1996
- Debit cards offered
- Totally Kids Club™ started
- Inaugurated Community Service Award Program
1997
- Totally Kids Club™ wins national award
1998
- Community Circle celebrates 10th anniversary with over 2700 members
1999
- Newport office relocated to state office building at 100 Main Street
- Became a certified NHFA lender
- Internet Banking offered
- Became a partner of America's Promise
- Won a national "Action Award" from ABA's Center for Community Development
2000
- Y2K compliant
- Total bank assets of $232 million
2001
- Celebrated 150-year anniversary
- Montpelier office, the first Washington County office, opened at 95 State Street
2002
- Won the Governor's Award for Outstanding Community Service
- Community Financial Service Group, LLC trust company was formed and equally owned by Community National Bank, The National Bank of Middlebury and Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank
2003
- Opened Barre office at 316 North Main Street
- The 2004 expansion plans for the Derby office new operation center was initiated
2004
- Derby office expansion plans were underway
2005
- Completed the Derby office expansion
- Lending team received the USDA Rural Development Lender of the Year Award
2006
- Lending team receives the USDA Rural Development Lender of the Year Award for the second year running
- TK and the Totally Kids Club™ celebrate 10 years of teaching children how to save
2007
- August 2, 2007, CNB announced plans to acquire LyndonBank
- As of the close of business on December 31, 2007, LyndonBank merged with and into Community National Bank and added Enosburg, Lyndonville and Morrisville offices
2008
- Community Circle celebrated the 20th anniversary at the Jay Peak Resort
2009
- eStatements offered as an alternate to paper
2010
- Released an entirely updated bank website
- Entered social media by joining Facebook and Twitter
2011
- Initiated the implementation of Document Imaging for electronic delivery, storage and retrieval of documents
- Updated the eStatement delivery channel to include electronic delivery of notices in addition to statements
2013
- Mobile Banking offered
- Launched a mobile version of the bank website
- Upgraded Telephone banking service
- A bank store with CNB-branded items was made available for employee and customer purchases
- Community Circle celebrated their 25th anniversary with celebrations held at each office
- Awarded the Vermont SBA Third Party Lender of the Year
2014
- Online opening of demand deposit accounts available through bank website and Internet banking
2015
- Updated mission, vision and values statements
- Mobile Deposit offered
- At the close of business on July 17, 2015, the Broad Street Lyndonville office and the Federal Street St. Johnsbury offices were closed and the other two offices in Caledonia County remain open
2017
- Adopted new tagline “Vermont’s Community Bank”
- Loan Production Office opened in Burlington on 346 Shelburne Road
2018
- Began installing Cash Recycler Machines to accept, dispense and store money
- Community Circle celebrated 30th anniversary
2019
- Loan Production Office opened in Lebanon, New Hampshire
2020
- March 13, 2020 Governor Phil Scott declared a state of emergency to ensure that Vermont has all the resources necessary to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- March 19, 2020 Decision was made to close lobby doors to the general public. Business was conducted through Drive-thru windows, Night Depository, ATM and Online banking services in an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19.
- May 18, 2020 Lobbies opened to the public while following Governor Scott’s guidelines for Social Distancing. Plexiglass barriers were installed for the front line and a supply of face masks were given to employees to wear.
2021
- February 1, 2021 Montpelier Office relocated to a new location at 99 State Street. This location adds a drive-thru service.
2022
- Community National Bank was ranked as the number one bank in Vermont according to Forbes’ America's Best Banks In Each State published June 21, 2022.