F&M Trust has been positioned as a symbol of financial strength and stability in Central Pennsylvania for 120 years. Founded on February 5, 1906, by a diverse group of businessmen, lawyers, farmers, and doctors, the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of Chambersburg, PA, was established to offer expanded financial services to the local community.
The bank’s first location opened its doors in 1906, and by 1918, F&M Trust had relocated its headquarters to 20 South Main Street in downtown Chambersburg.
In its first two decades, F&M Trust experienced substantial growth and successfully weathered the challenges brought on by the Stock Market Crash and Great Depression. The bank’s leadership guided it through this turbulent period, ensuring ongoing financial stability and growth. F&M Trust was one of the first banks to nationally join the FDIC when it was formed in 1933.
“Reaching this milestone is a moment of pride for F&M Trust and it’s exciting to see how we’ve grown and remained an independent community bank for 120 years,” said Craig Best, President & CEO of F&M Trust. “While banking has certainly changed over the years and we must continue to evolve, our focus will always be on building and protecting our customers’ wealth and maintaining long-term, loyal relationships.”
Since its founding in 1906, F&M Trust has been actively engaged in the communities it serves. Bank employees annually contribute more than 2,200 volunteer service hours to local organizations, and dozens of employees hold positions of leadership in community groups and serve on the boards of directors for local nonprofit agencies. Additionally, the bank donates an average of at least $500,000 to over 280 organizations across its regional footprint, including student scholarships and grants through Pennsylvania’s EITC program.
“As our bank has grown, so too has our commitment to our customers, our communities, our shareholders, and to our employees,” said G. Warren Elliott, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Franklin Financial Services Corporation and F&M Trust. “To do so requires that we deploy the latest technology, combined with having employees that are dedicated to accepting nothing less than delivering superior service and achieving the best results every day. With this formula, and 120 years of proven success behind us, I am very optimistic about our future.”
