Bank of The James
Bank of the James is a publicly traded community bank (NASDAQ: BOTJ) headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, serving individuals, small and medium businesses, and professionals across Central, Southwest, Shenandoah Valley, and Roanoke Valley markets through 24 branches and digital banking.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLynchburg, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Bank of The James does
Bank of the James is a publicly traded community bank holding company (NASDAQ: BOTJ) headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, founded in 1999 to serve Central, Southwest, Shenandoah Valley, and Roanoke Valley markets as a locally owned alternative to consolidating regional banks. The bank operates 24 branches and 17 ATMs across Virginia, offering deposit products (personal and business checking tiers, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs, HSAs), lending products (commercial real estate, construction, operating lines, consumer, home equity, and full-service mortgages), and a Business Cash Management suite (ACH, wires, Positive Pay, Remote Check Deposit, payroll via Sure Payroll), together with merchant card processing and BOTJ Investment Services / BOTJ Insurance wealth divisions acquired through the December 2021 Pettyjohn, Wood & White acquisition.
Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on the loan portfolio supplemented by transaction and account fees, merchant card processing residuals, and wealth management and insurance commissions routed through Osaic Institutions. Pricing follows tiered subscription-style account structures with minimum balance waivers (Jefferson, Cardinal, 50 Plus, James River personal checking; Business Economy, Business Advantage, Business Interest, and Business Analysis Checking for commercial clients). Digital channels are built on third-party infrastructure including the Fiserv-powered Mobile Money app, online banking with Zelle P2P, and a Business Suite portal for commercial cash management.
Customer acquisition emphasizes relationship-based community banking rather than mass-market acquisition, supported by over 250 civic partnerships, sponsorships such as JMU Athletics softball naming rights and Longwood University scholarships, BBB A+ accreditation, and Top 100 Community Bank / #2 Virginia Community Bank recognitions. The 101-250 employee organization reports approximately $1.039B in total assets, $9.02M in net income (EPS $1.99) for the most recent reporting period, and is currently navigating a planned executive succession with co-founder J. Todd Scruggs retiring in January 2026 and Eric J. Sorenson, Jr. assuming the CFO role.
Bank of The James firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bank of The James
- Legal name
- Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://bankofthejames.bank
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Bank of the James is a publicly traded community bank (NASDAQ: BOTJ) headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, serving individuals, small and medium businesses, and professionals across Central, Southwest, Shenandoah Valley, and Roanoke Valley markets through 24 branches and digital banking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bank of The James industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (52211)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA), Digital Retail Banking (Online & Mobile) (FSABAAAF), Credit Cards & Revolving Credit (FSABAAAC)
Keywords
Where Bank of The James is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lynchburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices26 records
Markets served
Bank of The James business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Interest Income from Lending: Primary revenue from interest earned on loan portfolio including commercial real estate loans, residential mortgages, consumer loans, and construction loans. Total assets grew 6.1% to $1.039 billion with higher loan yields driving margin expansion.
- Deposit and Banking Fees: Fees from checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificate of deposits including monthly service fees, paper statement fees, and ATM fees.
- Merchant Card Processing: Revenue from merchant services processing credit and debit card transactions for business customers with custom solutions and concierge-level support.
- Investment and Insurance Services: Investment products and insurance services offered through BOTJ Investment Services division and BOTJ Insurance division, with securities offered through Osaic Institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Jefferson Checking - Basic checking with no monthly fee when using eStatements |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cardinal Checking - Interest-bearing with selectable features |
| Subscription | Monthly | 50 Plus Checking - Senior-oriented account with enhanced benefits |
| Subscription | Monthly | James River Checking - Premium checking with higher balance requirements |
| Subscription | Monthly | Money Market Account - Interest-bearing with higher balance requirements |
| Subscription | Monthly | Business Economy Checking - Basic business account for small businesses |
| Subscription | Monthly | Business Advantage Checking - Unlimited check writing for moderate activity businesses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bank of The James product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bank of The James is a community bank that provides deposit products (checking, savings, money market, CDs), consumer and commercial lending (personal loans, home equity, mortgages, commercial real estate, construction), merchant card processing, investment services, and insurance products to individuals, small and medium businesses, and professionals across Virginia. The bank operates through 24 physical branches, 17 ATMs, and digital banking channels, offering personalized service with local decision-making authority.
Product overview
Bank of the James operates as a regional community bank offering an integrated banking platform across retail, business, and wealth management segments. The core offering consists of deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs) and lending products (personal loans, mortgages, commercial loans) supported by digital banking services. Value-added modules include Business Cash Management (ACH, wires, Positive Pay, Remote Deposit), Merchant Card Processing, Investment Services, and Insurance—many acquired or built over time (e.g., Pettyjohn, Wood & White investment services). The bank serves individuals, small-to-medium businesses, and professionals primarily in Central Virginia through 24 branch locations and comprehensive online/mobile banking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BOTJ Investment Services: A division of Bank of the James offering investment and wealth management services, securities offered through Osaic Institutions, Inc.
- BOTJ Insurance
Products and services
- Personal Checking Accounts
Quantifiable outcome
- Total assets grew 6.1% to $1.039 billion
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Bank of The James
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bank of The James technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature3 records
Bank of The James partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Longwood UniversityminorPartnership announced February 2025 including scholarship recipients program supporting students at Longwood University in the bank's service area.
- JMU AthleticsminorJMU Athletics signed softball naming rights agreement with Bank of the James, providing naming rights for JMU Softball facility.
- WLNI RadiominorSponsor of WLNI's 'The Best of the Burg' program highlighting regional events, restaurant openings, and non-profit organizations supported by BOTJ as part of 'Partnering for Good' platform.
- Pettyjohn, Wood & WhitecoreBank of the James acquired the respected investment firm of Pettyjohn, Wood & White in December 2021, establishing BOTJ Investment Services as a division of Bank of the James to expand wealth management and investment advisory capabilities.
- BanzaiminorNationally acclaimed financial literacy platform partnership providing educational tools to middle and high school teachers in Region 2000. Bank of the James provides financial sponsorship to equip teachers with Banzai toolkits at no cost.
- Osaic InstitutionscoreSecurities offered through Osaic Institutions, Inc., a FINRA/SIPC member broker-dealer. BOTJ Investment Services is a division of Bank of the James providing trained investment professionals and strategies.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bank of The James competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TowneBank: Larger Virginia-headquartered community bank with broader geographic reach across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Operates with a similar relationship-led model but at greater scale, making it a scaled comp for BOTJ's longer-term ambition.
- Atlantic Union Bankshares: One of the largest Virginia-based regional banks, operating a similar mix of community banking, commercial lending, and wealth management across the state. Significantly larger than BOTJ but serves overlapping geographies and customer segments.
Direct peers
- First National Corporation: Small community bank holding company with comparable asset size and similar mix of retail deposits, commercial lending, and mortgage banking. Comparable relationship-driven GTM and SMB customer base.
- Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp: Virginia-headquartered community bank of comparable scale serving individuals and SMBs in Northern Virginia and surrounding markets. Similar relationship-based banking model, multi-branch footprint, and community-bank value proposition aligned with BOTJ.
- Auburn National Bancorporation: Small publicly traded community bank holding company used explicitly as a peer benchmark in BOTJ comparative analysis ($47.76M revenue). Operates as a community-focused commercial bank with similar asset size, branch model, and SMB lending focus, making it the closest like-for-like comp.
- Virginia National Bankshares: Virginia-headquartered community bank holding company serving individuals and businesses with a relationship-led model and similar mix of deposit, lending, and wealth management products. Operates in overlapping Central Virginia geographies.
- Blue Ridge Bankshares: Virginia-based community bank holding company with similar asset size and community-focused branch model. Operates across Central and Northern Virginia with comparable commercial lending and SMB focus, making it a direct regional comp to BOTJ.
- Chain Bridge Bancorp: Small publicly traded community bank with comparable asset size operating in the Mid-Atlantic. Similar relationship-driven community banking model with retail and commercial focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bank of The James social profiles
Digital presenceBank of The James compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
Bank of The James financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bank of The James leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Bank of The James subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Bank of The James funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bank of The James M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bank of The James
What does Bank of The James do?
Bank of The James is a community bank that provides deposit products (checking, savings, money market, CDs), consumer and commercial lending (personal loans, home equity, mortgages, commercial real estate, construction), merchant card processing, investment services, and insurance products to individuals, small and medium businesses, and professionals across Virginia. The bank operates through 24 physical branches, 17 ATMs, and digital banking channels, offering personalized service with local decision-making authority.
Is Bank of The James a public or private company?
Bank of The James is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Bank of The James founded?
Bank of The James was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Bank of The James based?
Bank of The James is headquartered in Lynchburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bank of The James make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Interest Income from Lending is the primary driver. The others are deposit and Banking Fees, merchant Card Processing and investment and Insurance Services.
Who are Bank of The James's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TowneBank and Atlantic Union Bankshares. Direct peers are First National Corporation, Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp, Auburn National Bancorporation, Virginia National Bankshares, Blue Ridge Bankshares and Chain Bridge Bancorp.
Does Bank of The James have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bank of The James.
What industry is Bank of The James in?
Bank of The James's product category is Community Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABABAC, SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs), with a secondary code of FSABAAAA, Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings). Its NAICS code is 52211 and its SIC code is 6022.