Randall E. Black Elected to PA Bankers Association Board of Directors
Randall E. Black, CEO & President of Citizens Financial Services, Inc. and First Citizens Community Bank, was recently elected to the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s Board of Directors in the role of second vice chair. As such, Black will serve on the PA Bankers’ Personnel Committee and its Audit Budget and Finance Committee, as well as attend banking industry and state bankers association meetings throughout the U.S., representing the PA Bankers association at various events.
Black was elected to this position at the PA Bankers 2022 Convention on May 13, 2022. He officially became second vice chair on July 1, 2022, and will continue to serve as an officer in the association for the next four years. He has long been a supporter of the PA Bankers Association, serving as past Chairman for their Group 4 District, two terms on the PA Bankers Board of directors, and as a member of their Agricultural Committee. As an officer of the board, Black will help oversee the association’s strategic direction, policies, professional development offerings, member services and advocacy efforts.
Black assumed the role of CEO and President at First Citizens Community Bank in 2004, and under his leadership the Company has experienced significant growth. Today assets have grown to $2.2 billion, with the operation of 31 branches across 3 states. In June of 2022, Citizens Financial Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: CZFS) the holding company for First Citizens Community Bank, announced that The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) approved the uplisting of the Company’s common stock to the Nasdaq Capital Market. This type of growth isn’t possible without consistent and dependable financial performance. For the last 14 years, First Citizens Community Bank has been ranked one of the top performing community banks in the nation by a variety of organizations who measure bank performance, including The American Bankers Association.
In addition to these financial milestones, when Black assumed leadership of the Company, the Bank’s footprint was primarily in the northern tier of Pennsylvania. Since, they have grown to operate offices in Lebanon, Lancaster and Schuylkill counties through the acquisition of The First National Bank of Fredericksburg in 2015, have extended into downtown State College, and entered the Delaware market with the acquisition of MidCoast Community Bank in April of 2020. This summer, FCCB plans to open their 32nd office in Ephrata, PA, and their 33rd office in the Greenville, DE market.
Black is well known for his agricultural expertise and involvement in key agricultural organizations across the state of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Penn State University Board of Trustees, where he provides leadership that helps fellow farmers navigate current and new challenges that are unique to the industry. Under his leadership, First Citizens Community Bank extended and strengthened their agricultural commitment and is currently one of the top Ag lenders in the nation, third in Pennsylvania for bank’s headquartered there. Black is also a Class A Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. As such, he aids the board as they oversee the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank’s operations, offer observations on economic conditions, and establish the Bank’s discount rate. He supports his local communities as a member of BOOM (Betterment Organization of Mansfield), The Fund for Northern Tier Development and the Northern Tier Grow Ag committee.
Black joined First Citizens in 1993 and prior to be named CEO & President of First Citizens he served as their Chief Financial Officer. He received a Master of Banking degree from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, and earned his BS, Cum Laude, from Bloomsburg University. Black is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Investment and Financial Management.
The PA Bankers Association brings financial institutions and bankers together to learn, grow, serve, and engage with peers, communities and lawmakers. The Association is a strong advocate for pro-banking policies at both the state and federal level, and provides valuable educational opportunities to its member Banks.