As one of the fastest-growing banks in the region, BankPlus embodies the spirit of high performance. The bank’s growth in recent years has been nothing less than phenomenal, thanks to a highly differentiated brand, motivated employees and a willingness to compete for market share against much larger competitors.

The bank was founded over 100 years ago as a community bank in a small farming town deep in the Mississippi Delta. For most of its history, Citizens Bank & Trust was indistinguishable from dozens of other sleepy rural banks. After the bank barely survived the farming crisis of the mid-80s, new management decided to take the bank in a different direction.

A partnership with The Ramey Agency began in 1987 to help the bank build a stronger brand and create the kind of marketing necessary for more aggressive growth. A marketing strategy was developed to emphasize the bank’s increasingly innovative products and its continuing emphasis on community roots and customer service.

With Ramey as marketing partner, the bank acquired several competitors and expanded its geographic footprint. Then, in 1994, Ramey helped guide the bank through the name change to BankPlus, with new graphics, tagline and a more sophisticated look.

In 1998, BankPlus again switched direction and decided to expand from its small-town base into metro Jackson. Never satisfied to do things in a small way, BankPlus opened 15 new offices in 18 months, nearly doubling its size and scope. Ramey supported this strategic initiative by refining the brand for an urban audience, along with a media campaign designed to break through the clutter quickly.

A big part of the ongoing success at BankPlus is an internal campaign motivating employees to become an active sales force for the bank. Ramey works with management to communicate the bank’s ongoing goals, and to remind employees that building new business through referrals and cross-selling makes them eligible for impressive rewards.

Year after year, BankPlus has continued to achieve rapid growth, performing in the top 25% of its peer group. Today, the bank has over 60 offices with more than $2 billion in total assets. And despite the current economic climate, the bank remains strong and committed to gaining market share at the expense of weaker competitors.