Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport

What Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport does

Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport is an independent, privately held community bank headquartered in Lena, Illinois, founded in 1880 as Waite & Hinds Banking Company and chartered by the State of Illinois in 1920. It operates five branches across Northwest Illinois (Lena, Stockton, Freeport, Elizabeth, and Savanna) serving agricultural producers, small businesses, municipalities, and retail consumers. The bank is FDIC-insured, NMLS-licensed (#740680), and employs between 51 and 100 staff.

The bank's product portfolio spans four core segments: personal banking (checking, savings, money markets, IRAs, HSAs, debit cards, mortgages, home equity, personal loans), business banking (commercial checking, commercial and agricultural loans, merchant services via Evolv, remote deposit capture via Payliance), agricultural lending (operating production loans, equipment and real estate loans, livestock financing, Farmer Mac loans, Illinois Link Deposit and Finance Authority programs, crop insurance, and farm leasing), and wealth/trust services. Wealth management and brokerage are delivered through a strategic partnership with Cetera Investment Services (member FINRA/SIPC), while trust administration, estate planning, and investment management are operated through an internal Trust Department using the FIS Global trust client portal. Digital channels include the CSB Internet Banking platform and iOS/Android mobile apps.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on the deposit-and-loan book (subscription/recurring economics across deposit accounts and agricultural, commercial, residential mortgage, and consumer lending), supplemented by fee income from wealth management referral economics with Cetera, merchant services via Evolv, Sallie Mae student loan referrals, and managed-services revenue from the in-house trust department. Distribution is relationship-led through the branch network, call center (815.369.4524), and community-marketing efforts (local fairs, the Buzz on Banking radio show on WCCI 100.3, Facebook, and email). The bank is locally owned and managed; Amy Baker serves as President and CEO.

Name

Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport

Legal name

Citizens State Bank

Website

https://csbnow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport is a privately held community bank founded in 1880, operating five branches across Northwest Illinois. It serves agricultural producers, small businesses, and consumers with deposit, lending, wealth management (via Cetera), and trust services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Deposit Taking and Lending: Core banking revenue generated from accepting deposits (checking, savings, money markets, CDs) and lending activities including agricultural loans, commercial loans, residential mortgages, and consumer loans.
2. Wealth Management and Investments: Investment services and wealth management offered through Cetera Investment Services, providing brokerage services, retirement planning, and financial consultations.
3. Trust Services: Trust administration, estate planning, and investment management services provided through the Trust Department, acting as trustee and executor.
4. Merchant Services: Payment processing solutions for business customers to accept credit card payments, provided through partnership with Evolv.
5. Credit Card Services: Credit card issuing and servicing for both personal and business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport is a community bank serving the Lena, Stockton, and Freeport communities in Northwest Illinois. Based on the company name, the bank offers traditional retail and community banking services including deposit accounts, loans, and related banking products.

Product overview

Citizens State Bank is a community bank offering a unified suite of banking products organized around four core segments: Personal Banking (checking, savings, money markets, debit cards, personal loans), Business Banking (business checking, commercial loans, merchant services, Remote Deposit Capture), Agricultural Services (agricultural loans, crop insurance, farm leasing), and Wealth Management (trust services via FIS, wealth management via Cetera Investment Services). Additional offerings include mortgage products, student loans via Sallie Mae, Health Savings Accounts, and IRA accounts. The bank operates digital banking through its proprietary CSB Internet Banking platform and mobile app for iOS and Android. The Jr Citizens Program and Classic Citizens (60+) sub-brands target youth and senior customers respectively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jr Citizens Banking: Youth banking program for children that teaches money management skills, includes savings incentives, birthday gifts, and rewards for milestones like getting driver's permit and license.
• Classic Citizens
• CSB Investment Services

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cetera Investment ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCetera Investment Services provides investment and wealth management products and services to CSB customers through a strategic partnership. Securities and advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.
• FIS GlobalcoreTechnology or IntegrationFIS Global provides the trust client portal (FIS Trust Portal) enabling clients to access their portfolio accounts online. CSB's Trust Department uses FIS technology for client account management.
• EvolvcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvolv provides merchant services payment processing solutions that CSB offers to business customers, enabling credit card payment acceptance at local businesses.
• Sallie MaeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSallie Mae student loans are offered through CSB for higher education financing. CSB receives referral compensation for directing customers to Sallie Mae for student loan products.
• ICS/CDARSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsured Cash Sweep service and CDARS network allowing customers to access multi-million-dollar FDIC protection beyond the standard $250,000 limit through a single bank relationship.
• CBAI (Community Bankers Association of Illinois)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCBAI partnership for scholarship programs, offering the CBAI Foundation for Community Banking Scholarship to Illinois students in addition to CSB's own scholarship program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Busey Bank: Illinois-headquartered community/regional bank with a similar mix of deposit, commercial, agricultural, mortgage, and wealth management services. Directly comparable in business model and core customer base across central and northern Illinois.
• Heartland Bank and Trust Company: Illinois community bank with strong agricultural lending presence, full-service deposit/lending products, and a multi-branch footprint serving rural and small-town markets. Closely comparable to CSB in scale, product mix, and customer profile.
• Midland States Bank: Midwest community bank with deposit, commercial, ag, mortgage, and wealth management lines, operating across Illinois and adjacent states. Similar full-service community banking model with a notable ag lending franchise.
• First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust: Illinois-headquartered community bank offering personal, business, ag, mortgage, and wealth management services across central and northern Illinois. Operates with a similar relationship-based community banking model and customer segments.
• Blackhawk Bank: Community bank serving the Wisconsin-Illinois border region with personal, business, ag, and mortgage lending products. Comparable to CSB in geographic scope (small-town, rural footprint) and agricultural lending emphasis.
• Stillman Bank: Northern Illinois community bank with personal, business, agricultural, and mortgage lending products across a multi-branch footprint in small-town markets. Operates with a comparable full-service community banking model to CSB.
• Bank of Pontiac: Central Illinois community bank offering a comparable mix of deposit, commercial, ag, mortgage, and wealth management products to small-town and agricultural customers. Similar scale and business model to CSB.

Broad incumbents

• Woodforest National Bank: Larger multi-state community bank with retail, small business, and consumer lending products. While broader in scope, it competes for similar small-town and consumer deposit/lending relationships in Midwest markets.
• Old Second National Bank: Northern Illinois-headquartered community/regional bank with personal, business, ag, mortgage, and wealth management lines. Larger than CSB but overlaps significantly in geography and customer segments, particularly in northwest Illinois-adjacent markets.

Regional players

• First Savanna Savings Bank: Small community savings bank headquartered in Savanna, Illinois — one of the markets where CSB operates (the Savanna branch was acquired by CSB in 2023). Comparable in scale, rural footprint, and product mix; competes for the same local deposit and lending base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/csbnow

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizens State Bank of Lena, Stockton & Freeport