Carter cares about providing the best experience for our customers – whether online or in our branches. That’s why we are working hard to remodel all buildings with health and sustainability in mind.

At Carter Bank & Trust, we’re proud of our past. It’s what brought us here today as your lifetime financial partner. As a modern community bank with a rich history, we’re focused on the future.

Transforming Your In-Branch Experience

As our products and services grow to serve our customers, we want our branches to reflect that same progress. Olivia Karavatakis, vice president and facilities director, has taken the lead in a company-wide refresh focused on creating a healthy and more sustainable environment for our employees and customers.

When we say we’re refreshing our branches, we mean it. All of our buildings will receive a remodel over the next five years. We kicked off this initiative in March 2019, along with marketing’s refresh of the Carter Bank & Trust brand.

“We really wanted to make the branches more modern and inviting to match the direction the bank is heading,” says Karavatakis. “Customers will notice small details, such as layout and furniture, that really make the space feel more open and welcoming.”

Some branches are receiving complete overhauls while others may just need refreshed flooring, redesigned landscaping or new modern furniture. Each change we make is designed to make our customers more comfortable when they visit the branch and the staff better able to provide you the service you need.

A Sustainable Focus

The changes to these buildings aren’t just for appearances, they’re also designed to promote sustainability throughout Carter Bank & Trust as a whole. Olivia’s background in sustainable construction and renewable energy has helped her lead the charge in finding small changes that make a big impact in our buildings.

“As we remodel, we are deploying methods set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program within our buildings,” says Karavatakis. “This means we are using products and materials that are deemed ‘LEED Compliant” or purchasing from manufacturers, who have an internal focus on sustainability.”

All products and materials that are used to remodel our buildings will have low and ultra low volatile organic compounds, meaning no harmful toxins will be released into the air during the work or after its completion. All of the paint, glue, insulation, flooring and cleaning supplies – every material will be environmentally friendly and promote healthy indoor air quality. This will not only benefits our employees and customers, but also the construction workers who work so hard to remodel the branches.

“Air quality and employee and customer comfort is our number one goal as we move forward with each remodel,” she adds.

It’s All in the Details

In addition to LEED compliant building materials, the remodel is also focusing on the reduction of utility consumption. Overtime, florescent, metal halide and incandescent bulbs will be replaced with LED fixtures. HVAC systems will also be overhauled to function more efficiently – something we are already seeing major savings in as a result of reduced energy consumption. Each update takes us one step closer to becoming Energy Star Certified at all of our buildings.

The changes won’t stop inside. The remodeling team is evaluating plans for exterior updates that contribute to the environment. Beneath the new signage, you could find rain gardens to redirect water runoff and promote pollinator habitats throughout the landscape.

While this is a long and involved process, we see this as an investment in the future for ourselves, our customers and the community. We encourage customers to keep an eye out on our Facebook page as we announce temporary branch closings as the renovations come to your community.