WHITMIRE — Folks down the road in Whitmire had cause for celebration as they welcomed Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union to town during a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday morning.
The new branch, located at 138 Main Street, comes two years after the town’s only bank closed, leaving many in financial uncertainty. In its 90th year of business, CEO Robert Dozier said it’s important to put the people before profit. Dozier worked alongside Mayor Billy Hollingworth and state legislators to help make the branch in Whitmire possible.
Dozier said the opening in Whitmire was much more than a ribbon cutting – rather it’s the opening of a place where people can go and know their money is in a safe place.
Hollingsworth said he knew from his first meeting in Columbia with Dozier that Whitmire would get a new bank.
“Thank you for having faith in us. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of people were involved, from elected officials, the Town of Whitmire and Palmetto Citizens,” he said.
Now that Palmetto Citizens has made a home in Whitmire, Hollingsworth hopes that this could potentially open the doors for a grocery store to come to Whitmire.
Senator Ronnie Cromer also played role in bringing Palmetto Citizens to Whitmire. He said Whitmire had gone for a long time without a banking institution and made it a goal to help the town.
He said a proviso was added into the executive budget that recommends “updating the fiscal year reference in this proviso regarding credit unions acting as a qualified public depository for deposits held by a municipality under specified conditions” – something that if not added, would not have allowed for Palmetto Citizens to come to Whitmire.
Like Hollingsworth, Cromer added that if a grocery store(s) came into Whitmire, those grocery stores would now have a place to deposit their money.
“The citizens of Whitmire have something to be proud of,” Cromer said.
The 1,650-square-foot branch is housed in a historic downtown Whitmire building dating back to the early 1900s. The new location, which includes an onsite ATM, provides area residents with convenient access to Palmetto Citizens’ full suite of member-owned financial services — from everyday banking needs to educational resources that support financial well-being — continuing the credit union’s nearly nine decades of service grounded in education, trust and impact.
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