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Our Story

Founded in 1899, Bank of Botetourt currently has thirteen branch offices representing more than 2,500 square miles in four counties and four cities. We proactively reinvest in the communities in which we serve. We encourage volunteerism, supporting organizations valued by our employees and clients. We are generous in our financial support of local organizations. We partner with local businesses and institutions to help them succeed. We are proud to be known and recognized for our community involvement.

A Community Partner

For 124 years, Bank of Botetourt has been committed to reaching out within our local communities to do all we can to further the area's overall economic development. As a community partner, we make charitable contributions for education, culture and the arts, social service agencies, charitable activities, community and economic development, and other programs that impact the needs of our communities. By bridging the needs of our local communities with the resources of Bank of Botetourt, we help to improve the quality of life for residents in our service areas. We realize that we can only be as successful as the communities we serve!

Volunteerism

Being a good corporate citizen means being actively involved in the community. Bank of Botetourt employees are encouraged to participate through mentoring, volunteering, sponsoring, and public service. Every day, our employees provide their time and talents for efforts that are important to their local communities - some read to children, others work during parades and festivals, some donate blood, or participate in walk-a-thons. We are proud of the many employees who generously donate so much of their time in support of charitable, civic, and professional organizations.

Community Engagement Through Schools

  • Each year, Bank of Botetourt provides $1,000 scholarships for local high school seniors who will be attending Virginia Western Community College or Dabney S. Lancaster Community College and pursuing a degree in the arts.
  • Bank of Botetourt participates in the Virginia Bankers Association Bank Day each year. VBA Bank Day is a statewide effort sponsored by the VBA Education Foundation and the VBA Leadership Division. Bank Day began when the third Tuesday in March was declared Bank Day by the Virginia General Assembly in 1991. The purpose of the day is to expose students to the banking industry and provide an opportunity for the students to learn about banking, financial services and the vital role banks play in their communities. From their experience, the students are required to write an essay, and seven scholarships (six regional and one statewide) are awarded on the basis of the essays. Bank of Botetourt is proud that we have a history of past scholarship winners.
  • Bank of Botetourt offers an annual $500 "Taking Care of You" Community Scholarship. The scholarship is available to high school seniors or current college students who use Bank of Botetourt as their financial institution.

Our History

1899 In 1899 the Bank of Buchanan was officially chartered with the support of J. C. Dill, James Mundy, John C. Paxton, J. Z. Shultz, and John Ageon. It opened for business on October 1, 1899.
1899 James Mundy becomes President of the bank in 1899 and serves until 1904.
1901 In 1901 the General Assembly issued a state charter to the Bank of Buchanan, one of only five banks still operating in Virginia under a charter issued by legislature.
1904 C. B. Johnson becomes President of the bank in 1904 and serves until 1942.
1916 In 1916, the bank purchased the site where its present day Buchanan office sits.
1918 In 1918 the bank purchases its first typewriter.
1942 Dr. E. W. Dodd becomes President of the bank in 1942 and serves until 1964.
1940 In the 1940’s, the first two women officers of the bank were hired, Nancy Brewbaker Rookstool and Carolyn Dudley Ferguson. Rookstool was hired as bookkeeper during World War II, and Ferguson followed her in the position in 1948.
1947 In 1947 and 1949 the bank acquires its first two “desk model, electric” adding machines.
1948 In 1948 the bank begins offering employee education through a training course offered by the Roanoke Chapter of the American Banking Association.
1952 In 1952 the bank becomes part of the joint project which lead to the opening of the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia in 1954.
1964 Darnell E. Brugh becomes President of the bank in 1964 and serves until 1976.
1966 Paula Bryant becomes the first female cashier of the bank in 1966.
1976 H. Watts Steger III becomes President of the bank in 1976 and serves until he retired in 2010.
1989 In 1989 the first new branch of the bank opens in Daleville. The office remains its location on Roanoke Road until 2016.
1992 From 1992 to 2001, the bank hosted the Art by the James festival in Buchanan, VA.
1993 In 1993 the bank opens its Eagle Rock branch.
1995 In 1995 the bank opens its Troutville branch.
1995 In 1995 the bank changes its name to the Bank of Botetourt and opens its new Operations Center on Main Street in Buchanan, where it still is today.
1996 In 1996, Governor George Allen presented the bank with the Governor’s Community Service and Volunteerism Award.
1997 In 1997 the bank opens its Bonsack branch.
1997 In 1997, the bank formed its holding company, Botetourt Bankshares, Inc. It operated as a one bank holding company until 2013.
1998 In 1998 the bank launches the service of Online Banking, one of the first community banks in Virginia to do so.
1999 In 1999, the bank celebrated its 100th Anniversary at Natural Bridge Hotel.
1999 In 1999, the bank completed many Y2K preparedness exercises but the turn of the Century did not impact business operations.
2000 In 2000, the bank opened its temporary office in Lexington and relocated to its permanent office in 2003.
2001 In 2001, the bank opened its Peters Creek office.
2002 In 2002, Botetourt Bankshares, Inc. became an SEC registrant.
2002 In 2002, G. Lyn Hayth, III was named the 6th President of Bank of Botetourt.
2004 In 2004, the bank opened its Fairfield office.
2005 In 2005, the bank opened its Loan Administration Center.
2007 In 2007, the bank opened its Smith Mountain Lake office.
2008 In 2008, the bank opened its Natural Bridge office.
2008 In 2008, U.S. Banker Magazine ranked Bank of Botetourt as one of the Top 200 Community Banks in the United States at #97 on the list.
2010 In 2010, H. Watts Steger, III retired and G. Lyn Hayth, III was named CEO.
2011 In 2011-2012, the bank and its customers experienced the adverse impact of the Great Recession.
2012 In 2012, through regulatory relief, Botetourt Bankshares, Inc. deregistered from the SEC.
2013 In 2013, the bank converted its mainframe computer system.
2014 In 2014, the bank introduced its mobile banking app.
2015 In 2015, the bank opened a loan production office in Salem and then a full-service office in 2016.
2016 In 2016, the bank relocated its Daleville office to Daleville Town Center.
2016 In 2016, the bank opened its first Cave Spring office and then relocated to its permanent location in 2019.
2016 In 2016, the bank introduced Virginia Mountain Mortgage as its mortgage trade name.
2017 In 2017, Delegate Terry Austin presented House Resolution 465 from the Virginia General Assembly Commending Bank of Botetourt.
2018 In 2018, the bank introduced Botetourt Wealth Management.
2018 In 2018, the bank successfully raised net capital proceeds of $7.6 million to support the future growth of the bank.
2019 In 2019, the bank launched Treasury Management services.
2020 In 2020, the bank participated in the U.S Department of the Treasury's Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP"), lending $44 million, serving more than 480 customers, and saving almost 5,000 jobs. The average loan value amounted to $60K, with 90% of those servicing businesses with 25 employees or less.
2021 In 2021, the bank opened its Vinton office.
2022 In 2022, BOB was recognized as one of American Banker's Top 200 Community Banks in the U.S. In its May 2022 issue, American Banker ranked Bank of Botetourt 165th on the list of the country’s 200 top-performing publicly traded community banks with assets under $2 billion, based on three-year return on average equity (ROAE) as of December 31, 2021. Bank of Botetourt is one of seven Virginia community banks that made the list.
2023 BOB announced that Michelle R. Austin has been named the 7th President in its 124-year history and has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective February 20, 2023.
2023 Bank of Botetourt’s Board of Directors voted to appoint Dustin G. Bays as its Bank’s Chief Financial Officer. Dustin joined Bank of Botetourt in 2011 and most recently served as its Chief Accounting Officer.
2023 In May 2023, BOB announced that Tommy L. Moore who serves as the Circuit Court Clerk for Botetourt County has retired from its Board after serving 41 years from 1982-2023, including the past two years as Chairman of the Board. 
2023 In 2023 The Board of Directors voted to elect Joyce R. Kessinger as Chair, re-elect G. Lyn Hayth, III as Vice-Chair. Joyce R. Kessinger has been a Director of the Bank since 1986, and as Chair will continue to guide Bank of Botetourt into the future. 
2049

On October 1, 2049 the bank will open the time capsule that was sealed in 1999.

 

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Routing Number: 051402550

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