Buckeye State Bank

As a company that strives to reflect the pride, honesty, and hard work ethics that Ohio State "Buckeyes" are known for, it is no surprise that Buckeye State Bank has grown and thrived as much as they have. Originally formed in 1885, the Citizens Bank of DeGraff served the community through the Great Depression & Recession and has the oldest surviving state bank charter in the state of Ohio. The original location is still being used and houses the DeGraff Post Office, complete even with the original vault and name engraving on the outside of the building. 

In January of 2014, Buckeye Nation Interim (a company comprised of a diverse team of local business leaders) was formed and ultimately purchased the bank that September and changed the name to Buckeye State Bank. A nod to the "Buckeyes" - 2 of Buckeye State Bank's founders are former Ohio State University players: former OSU defensive lineman & #1 draft pick of the 1994 Cincinnati Bengals, Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson and former OSU & CFL quarterback, Stanley Jackson. The bank is now located at 101 North Main Street, DeGraff - across the street from its original location, and a perfect place in the center of town that provides enough room for plenty of parking and drive thru availability. Since the purchase and name change in 2014, Buckeye State Bank has not only met the needs of the community but continues to evolve as one of the fastest growing banks in the country. They have grown from 7 employees and $29 million in assets to 43 employees and $260 million in assets. BSB is unique in the fact that it is employee owned because their largest shareholder is its Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP"), which owns approximately 15% of the bank. A huge accomplishment, Buckeye State Bank earned BauerFinancial Inc.'s highest 5-star Superior rating. A 5-star rating indicates that Buckeye State Bank is one of the strongest financial institutions in the nation.

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