Citizens Bank & Trust Hosts 2026 Citizens Business Summit

Citizens Bank & Trust Hosts 2026 Citizens Business Summit

09/23/2026

By: Kasey Culbert

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. - September 23, 2026

Citizens Bank & Trust welcomed business leaders from across North Alabama to the 2026 Citizens Business Summit at Lake Guntersville State Park. The event brought together industry experts and local professionals for a morning of timely economic and business insight, professional development and networking.

Citizens Bank & Trust began the Business Summit in 2016 as an effort to bring timely expertise and valuable resources to the local business community, helping business leaders better manage their businesses in a challenging economic landscape.

"From the beginning, the purpose of the Citizens Business Summit has been to provide our business community with access to knowledgeable speakers and information they can put to use," said Charlie Williams, CEO of Citizens Bank & Trust. "It's also an opportunity to bring people together, build relationships and support the businesses that are so important to the communities we serve."

Built around the theme "Learn, Grow, Network", the Summit featured three guest speakers addressing topics with local and national relevance.

Dr. Edmond J. Seifried, Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business at Lafayette College, provided an economic update. Seifried has delivered more than 3,500 economic presentations in the U.S. and abroad and has experience both in academia and as a community bank director.

Gene Marks, who leads The Marks Group PC based out of Pennsylvania, presented "Beyond 2026 - From Washington to Your Workplace." Marks works with business leaders to understand political, economic and technological trends affecting their companies.

Colonel Raymond M. Ruscoe, Ph.D., USSF, Deputy Director of the United States Space Command Redstone Transition Team, presented "U.S. Space Command Transitions to Huntsville." Ruscoe is helping lead the relocation of U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs to Redstone Arsenal, including planning for an approximately $5 billion purpose-built headquarters.

"We want our guests to leave the Summit with useful information and new ideas they can take back to their businesses," said Kasey Culbert, Marketing Officer at Citizens Bank & Trust. "We're intentional about selecting speakers and topics that are timely, relevant and valuable to businesses in our region. Our goal is to make the Summit worth the time our guests spend with us, and hopefully make them want to return to this event the following year."

The Summit also offered qualifying CPAs 3.8 hours of continuing professional education credit and included the bank's Tag & Give Back initiative, through which Citizens Bank & Trust will donate $500 to an FBLA program at a local North Alabama high school selected by one participating attendee.

About Citizens Bank & Trust

Citizens Bank & Trust was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Guntersville, Alabama. It is the largest community bank based in Marshall County and has full-service offices in Albertville, Arab, Cullman, Elkmont, Guntersville, Hazel Green, New Hope, Rogersville, and Scottsboro, plus a Decatur Loan Production Office, a soon to be opened Loan Production Office in Huntsville, a Wealth Management division, and a Mortgage Division. Citizens Bank & Trust is insured by the FDIC and is an equal housing lender. Visit citizensbanktrust.com to learn more.