Citizens National Bank, founded in Bossier City, Louisiana in 1985, introduced its new identity at its Bossier City headquarters on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The bank will now be known as Bonvenu Bank. After expanding into multiple locations in North Louisiana since the bank was founded, Citizens National Bank expanded into South Louisiana by establishing a branch location in Metairie in 2021,
Bonvenu Bank, inspired by the French words “bon” (meaning “good”) and “bienvenue” (meaning “welcome”) is designed to invite consumers to a more personalized banking experience where the banker and customer enjoy a partnership. Jason Smith, President, and CEO of Citizens National Bank noted, “The new brand highlights one of our best assets, our ability to welcome our customers’ vision. The brand signifies our willingness to open our eyes and minds to see what customers see, especially those small business owners who have a vision but need versatile financial guidance. The name change signifies our commitment to engaging with our customers in more direct, personalized ways that will address their financial needs in a customized manner.”
“When you look at the logo, some of you might say you see a crown, and others will look at it and see a bridge. You actually see both. The bridge is a symbol of bringing things together, whether that’s the Shreveport-Bossier community that we’ve had the privilege to serve for the past several years bringing those two communities together, or in Baton Rouge where you have two sides of the river coming together. It is that idea that as a trusted partner in the community, we need to be focused on bringing things together. It’s important that we be that bridge for the community,” said Smith.
Smith added, “We have a name change. However, all of the checks, deposits, and debit cards (all of those things that you have with Citizens National Bank branding) will continue to work. But as we issue new debit cards or order new checks, they will be replaced with the new branding.”
The name change to a French-inspired branding underlines the bank’s profound ties to Louisiana, highlighting its dedication to the community’s prosperity and well-being for almost 40 years. The new bank logo features a bold, vibrant color palette of teal, gold, sky blue, and oyster. A crown-like symbol next to the strong sans-serif typeface that reads Bonvenu Bank is an abstract representation of Louisiana’s culture and landscape.
Meanwhile, Smith reminded stakeholders that a name change will not change the institution’s tried-and-true fundamental values and operational principles. The bank remains focused on customer-first service and helping improve the communities it serves. This rebranding reinforces the bank’s allegiance to its origins while striving for continuous growth, ensuring mutual success for both the bank and its community.