Midlands Business Profiles
Midlands Profiles
First Community Bank
From the moment Cory comes out from behind his desk, shakes your hand and introduces himself by his first name, it's clear you've stepped into a different kind of bank – and that's just what First Community Bank President and CEO Mike Crapps wants you to feel.
"When your motto is 'Come see the difference,' you better mean it," Crapps says.
First Community Bank was founded in 1995, largely in response to major changes taking place in banking at that time. Smaller community-based banks that had provided personal service to people in the Midlands for years were being gobbled up by regional banks with an eye on expansion.
While those megabanks have their positives, that personal service – along with local business leadership and a genuine interest in the local community – was going by the wayside.
Crapps and Jim Leventis stepped in to fill that void in the Midlands, and since that time, dozens of other community banks have sprung up across South Carolina, at least slowing down, if not reversing, the trend of consolidation.
"First and foremost, we're here to serve the communities where we operate, especially the local business owners in those communities," Crapps said.
Local business is the bank's primary focus. First Community offers the same full range of services larger banks do for local business, but excels when it comes to personal service.
"Most business owners are so focused on running their business. When it comes to banking and financial services, they really need a banker who's personally involved, and who has expertise in the challenges businesses face," Crapps said. "We know what it's like to run a local business,because that's what we are, too."
From its first two offices in Lexington and Forest Acres, First Community has seen steady growth. By 2004, the bank had six branches and $220 million in assets. Today, there are 12 branches and about $550 million dollars in assets. In addition to the original offices in Lexington and Forest Acres, the bank now has branches in Northeast Columbia, Cayce-West Columbia, Chapin, Gilbert, Irmo, Prosperity, Red Bank, and Camden, as well as two offices in Newberry.
The bank's branch locations reflect its commitment to local business. For instance, First Community considered a location on Harbison Boulevard when choosing a location for the Irmo branch. Ultimately, though, the bank chose Lake Murray Boulevard because of its proximity to a greater number of locally owned businesses.
Right behind that first office in Lexington is First Community's new corporate headquarters. The lobby is dominated by large black and-white photos of significant landmarks in the communities the bank serves, such as the Newberry Opera House or a sail boat on Lake Murray.
"It's important that we not lose touch with who we are and, most importantly, who we work for in this building. Those pictures are meant to remind us of the communities we serve," Crapps said. "One constant in this ever-changing business is our passionate focus on the individual interactions that occur daily between our employees and our customers."
