Nathaniel S. Bonnell
President & CEO, Citizens Bank of West Virginia
BORN AND RAISED in Elkins, WV, Nathaniel Bonnell grew up
in a traditional family. Both of his parents and all four of his
grandparents, who were lifelong residents of Randolph County,
instilled in him an appreciation for faith, family, integrity and
hard work. His maternal grandfather, Guy Bedford, was a ded-
icated farmer whose tenacity inadvertently inspired and helped
shape Bonnell’s career with Citizens Bank of West Virginia.
“I spent a good deal of time with my grandfather on his farm,”
says Bonnell. “He was a humble man, dedicated to his family,
always willing to help a neighbor and very hard working. His
influence in my life instilled a sense of dedication, persistence
and integrity that I am certain affected my career path.”
Those character traits guide him each day in his role as
president and CEO of Citizens Bank, where he began working
in 2000 as a part-time bank teller while in college.
In less than two years, Bonnell was moved to the auditing
department, where he learned a great deal about the business
of banking. A few months before he graduated from Davis &
Elkins College with a degree in accounting, he set up out-of-town
interviews with plans to move away and become a certified public
accountant (CPA), but his employer had other ideas for him.
“The bank president at the time called me into his office to
discuss my future,” he says. “He told me that if I gave a banking
career at Citizens a chance, I would be sitting in his chair one
day. Then, he offered me a full-time job and the opportunity
to stay in Elkins.”
Bonnell was hired as the bank’s special projects officer and
immediately put his skills to use developing new, more efficient
processes. Within a year he met his goal of becoming a CPA and
was promoted to the accounting department as the financial
reporting manager. In 2007, Bonnell received his MBA from
West Virginia University and was appointed CFO at Citizens.
He was named president in 2017.
“Leading a community bank is a dream come true for me,”
he says. “While earnings, growth and shareholder value are
important measures of success, true satisfaction comes from
witnessing the impact our bank has on the communities where it
operates. Much of what I get to do is about making a difference,
whether it is helping a family buy a home, providing a small
business with the capital needed to expand or partnering with
community organizations through volunteerism and corporate
giving.”
Bonnell’s volunteerism is not limited to his office hours,
however. He is particularly passionate about the people in
his community, especially children who have been victims of
abuse. He is an active volunteer with the Randolph-Tucker
Children’s Advocacy Center, where he has served in various
leadership roles and currently supports the Annual Champions
for Children Gala.
He also sits on the board of directors for the Randolph
County Development Authority and serves as a member of the
Elkins Rotary Club, North Elementary School Parent Teacher
Organization and Mercy Chapel United Methodist Church’s
administrative council and finance committee. Bonnell is the
treasurer for the North Elkins Charge of the United Methodist
Church and volunteers with the annual West Virginia State
Leadership Conference for Future Business Leaders of America
and United Way of Randolph County. He is also a board member
for the West Virginia Bankers Association and an advisory
board member for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh.
“I believe we each have a moral obligation to help others in
our communities,” says Bonnell. “Giving of our time, talent
and treasure enriches the community and provides a greater
sense of purpose.”
Even after becoming the CEO of a $250 million community
bank at the age of 36, Bonnell still considers his greatest achieve-
ment in life to be his family—his wife and two daughters. He
cannot imagine his life anywhere other than West Virginia, where
he is grateful for the opportunity to make a difference for family,
friends and neighbors every day.
SAMANTHA CART
Bonnell inside one of the buildings on
the JITEC campus, the renovation of
which earned ZMM the 2011 Excellence
in Architecture Honor Award.
TRACY A. TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
W W W. W V E X E C U T I V E . C O M
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