YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Premier Bank in 2024 received the Top Large Community Bank Lender Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Cleveland District, signifying its commitment to providing services and SBA-backed loans to small businesses in northeastern Ohio.
It was the first of several honors the bank earned last year.
A national magazine bestowed one of its highest accolades on Premier in June. “We were honored to have been named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Companies to Work For list,” says Gary Small, president and CEO.
In July, Premier Financial Corp. and WesBanco Inc. announced a merger that would create a regional financial services institution with approximately $27 billion in assets, significant economies of scale and strong pro forma profitability metrics.
With complementary geographic footprints, the combined company will be the eighth-largest bank in Ohio, based on deposit market share, according to bank spokesperson Diane Timkovich. It will have an increased presence in Indiana and serve customers in nine states.
Shareholders from both organizations approved the merger agreement in December. All necessary regulatory approvals for the pending merger were received as of Feb. 12, 2025.
The bank was also awarded the Doing Well by Doing Good Award in the fifth annual Mastercard Community Institutions Segment Awards for its efforts in promoting financial literacy and education.
The bank wrapped up the year with its fifth annual “Powered By (Kind) People. Fueled by You” program. Throughout 2024, Premier awarded over $362,000 in support to 102 community partners in the Mahoning Valley as part of the program.
“We value our relationships with our community partners. And we are grateful for the work that they do to benefit families in the Mahoning Valley,” says Josh Toot, Mahoning Valley market president. “We believe that, working together, we can make our community stronger.”