Bailey Hartel Promoted

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (April 3, 2026) — Citizens National Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Bailey Hartel to senior vice president and senior relationship banker for the bank’s Hattiesburg market. Hartel will lead the region’s sales efforts and hold the team accountable for bank goals, production and loan servicing activities. Joining the bank in 2021, he has served as a relationship banker for the bank’s commercial lending division since joining the team five years ago.

In his new leadership role, Hartel will supervise relationship bankers and relationship banking group assistants and serve as a resource for both lending and non-lending customer service needs. He will be responsible for coordinating activities between bankers and customers to ensure an efficient, high-performing service experience, while also ensuring loan processing and loan closings are completed promptly and accurately.

For Hartel, CNB’s community focus remains central to how he serves customers and supports the bank’s mission. “The Power of Local,” he said, means “we are empowered to make significant decisions that impact our bank and our customers because of the trust we have internally and with our customers.”

During his tenure with the bank, Hartel has focused on loan growth and built a high-quality loan portfolio. In his new role, he aims to improve the efficiency of loan closings and focus on developing other relationship bankers by helping them achieve their professional goals.

“Congratulations to Bailey on this well-deserved promotion,” said James Brown, regional president for Citizens National Bank’s south region. “His dedication to serving customers, commitment to strong credit quality, and passion for developing others will continue to strengthen our team and support healthy growth across the region.”

About Citizens National Bank

Citizens National Bank is celebrating 138 years of service as an independent, Mississippi-owned community bank with locations throughout the state in Meridian, Quitman, Philadelphia, Olive Branch, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Waynesboro, Columbus, Macon, Kosciusko, Carthage, Ridgeland, Madison, Flowood and, soon, Brandon and Gluckstadt. The bank has assets in excess of $1.8 billion and manages $2.6 billion in its Wealth Management Division, which is committed to assisting clients with the accumulation, preservation and transfer of wealth. As a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), CNB is dedicated to promoting economic growth and improving the financial well-being of underserved communities across Mississippi through affordable housing, small business development and consumer financial products and services.