JD BANK WELCOMES LISA FONTENOT-SYLVESTER AS AVP BRANCH MANAGER

PRESS RELEASE

August 26, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann Barilleaux, JD Bank
(337) 656-7326
ann.barilleaux@jdbank.com

JD BANK WELCOMES LISA FONTENOT-SYLVESTER AS AVP BRANCH MANAGER

Jennings, LA – JD Bank is pleased to announce that Lisa Fontenot-Sylvester has joined the JD Bank team as AVP Branch Manager of our Ville Platte Branch located at 1311 W. LaSalle St. A Ville Platte native, Fontenot-Sylvester has been a part of the local banking community for over 24 years. In her role as Branch Manager, she will oversee daily branch operations and serve as a lender for the local community. “Lisa’s commitment to the success of her customers make her the perfect addition to the JD Bank family,” said Dorene Gothreaux, Chief Retail Officer.

Fontenot-Sylvester is a graduate of Ville Platte High School and the Ville Platte Vocation Technical School. She is a 2015 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. “I am excited about the opportunity to help meet the financial needs of my local community and to continue to make a positive impact in Ville Platte,” said Fontenot-Sylvester.

Fontenot-Sylvester is a member and former President of the American Business Women’s Association Tournoi Charter Chapter and is an active volunteer for both Faith House and the American Red Cross. She and her husband have 7 children and 11 grandchildren.

About JD Bank

Founded in 1947, JD Bank, Louisiana’s Community Bank, offers a variety of personal and commercial lending and deposit products through both physical and digital delivery channels. JD Bank also offers both trust and investment services. JD Bank operates through 21 full service branch offices located along the Interstate 10 corridor from Lake Charles to Lafayette, Louisiana. For more information, visit www.jdbank.com or call 800-789-5159. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

Six tips for saving for a down payment

6 Tips For Saving for a Down Payment

Before you can make the transition from renting your home to owning your home, you will need to have a substantial down payment, typically 5 to 20 percent of the home’s value. The American Bankers Association suggests the following tips to help save for it:

Develop a budget & timeline – Start by determining how much you’ll need for a down payment. Create a budget and calculate how much you can realistically save each month – that will help you gauge when you’ll be ready to transition from renter to homeowner.

Establish a separate savings account– Set up a separate savings account exclusively for your down payment and make your monthly contributions automatic. By keeping this money separate, you’ll be less likely to tap into it when you’re tight on cash.

Shop around to reduce major monthly expenses – It’s a good idea to check rates for your car insurance, renter’s insurance, health insurance, cable, Internet or cell phone plan. There may be deals or promotions available that allow you to save hundreds of dollars by adjusting your contracts.

Monitor your spending – With online banking, keeping an eye on your spending is easier than ever. Track where most of your discretionary income is going. Identify areas where you could cut back (e.g. nice meals out, vacations, etc.) and instead put that money into savings.

Look into state and local home-buying programs – Many states, parishes and counties and local governments operate programs for first-time homebuyers. Some programs offer housing discounts, while others provide down payment loans or grants.

Celebrate savings milestones – Saving enough for a down payment can be daunting. To avoid getting discouraged, break it up into smaller goals and reward yourself when you reach each one. If you need to save $30,000 total, consider treating yourself to a nice meal every $5,000 saved. This will help you stay motivated throughout the process.

Shopping Online? There’s a difference between credit and debit.

Shopping Online? There’s a difference between credit and debit.

credit-card-vs-debit-card

Debit cards and credit cards may look and swipe the same, but they work completely differently. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, which is important to consider when you’re using one to shop online.

 

Because you can’t ever spend more money than you have, the advantage of using a debit card is that you don’t incur debt. Therefore, there’s never any interest charges or late fees to worry about. In fact, you never have to make any payments at all, but you will have to regularly add funds to your checking account if you’re using this card for your daily purchases.

 

Debit cards have a distinct disadvantage when it comes to online shopping security, since debit card fraud protections aren’t as strict as those for credit card fraud. If your debit card is lost or stolen, or if your payment information is compromised online in any way, a fraudulent payment will immediately be deducted from your account.

 

A credit card represents a potential loan from the card issuer to the customer. Every time you make a charge to your credit card, either online or in person, you’re taking out a loan. And unless you pay your statement balance in full, you’ll have to pay interest charges on the amount that you borrow.

 

Credit cards are protected by strong federal laws, which prohibit card issuers from charging you for fraudulent transactions. These laws give you, the cardholder, the right to dispute the charges for products and services you didn’t receive, and even charges for things you bought that were not as described.

 

So, protect yourself by using your credit card for online purchases, and then paying off the card balance with your debit card or checking account.

JD BANK WELCOMES SARAH BARNHILL AS AVP BRANCH MANAGER

PRESS RELEASE

August 20, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann Barilleaux, JD Bank
(337) 656-7326
ann.barilleaux@jdbank.com

JD BANK WELCOMES SARAH BARNHILL AS AVP BRANCH MANAGER

Jennings, La.- Sarah Barnhill has joined JD Bank as AVP Branch Manager. With more than 20 years of banking industry experience, Barnhill will oversee the daily operations of the JD Bank Branch located at 4507 Hwy 27 in Carlyss and also serve as a consumer lender for Southwest Louisiana. “With her diverse career in banking and finance, Sarah will successfully lead the operations of the Carlyss office. She is an asset to JD Bank and the community and we are happy to welcome her to our team,” said Dorene
Gothreaux, EVP Chief Retail Banking Officer.

A McNeese State University graduate, Barnhill began her banking career in 2000 as a teller for JP Morgan Chase. She was quickly promoted to Relationship Banker, Branch Manager, and District Manager. Barnhill will work with customers and the community to meet the financial needs of Carlyss and the surrounding area. “Helping my customers with their financial needs is truly rewarding,“ said Barnhill. “I look forward to building lasting relationships in the Carlyss community.”

Barnhill also holds Life and Health insurance and Property and Casualty insurance licenses.

About JD Bank

Founded in 1947, JD Bank, Louisiana’s Community Bank, offers a variety of personal and commercial lending and deposit products through both physical and digital delivery channels. JD Bank also offers both trust and investment services. JD Bank operates through 21 full service branch offices located along the Interstate 10 corridor from Lake Charles to Lafayette, Louisiana. For more information, visit www.jdbank.com or call 800-789-5159. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

JD Bank Included on Bridge built by Citi Lending Platform to Expand

PRESS RELEASE

August 11, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann Barilleaux, JD Bank
(337) 656-7326
ann.barilleaux@jdbank.com

JD Bank Included on Bridge built by Citi Lending Platform to Expand Access to Capital for America’s Local Businesses

Jennings, LA – JD Bank is an inaugural participant in Bridge built by Citi , a new lending platform launched by global financial institution Citi to help small-to-medium- sized businesses connect online with various regional, local and community banks for loans up to $10 million. JD Bank is one of 18 banks included in the pilot along with local banks in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Utah, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

“JD Bank is honored to have been approached by Citi to participate in the Bridge built by Citi SM platform. The platform will allow JD Bank to broaden our customer base both in our current footprint and beyond,” stated Bruce W. Elder, JD Bank President and CEO. “By partnering with Citi on this initiative, we hope to strengthen our ties to those small businesses that make Louisiana’s communities strong and vibrant.”

For many small-to-medium-sized businesses in the U.S., securing a loan involves manual processes that can be time consuming. Often, they are limited to banks near their own location. Additionally, local and community banks have limited access to digital tools to reach potential borrowers, which can make it difficult to broaden their customer base.

Bridge built by Citi connects businesses with lenders in their region, enabling borrowers to interact with lenders beyond those that have a physical location nearby, and helps borrowers interact with lenders through a single, quick and easy online request. By connecting borrowers with more lenders, the platform can empower businesses with access, choice and convenience―and capital to grow their businesses.

The Bridge built by Citi platform aims to:

  1. Create liquidity and access to capital: Borrowers submit their information via a single, standardized form for all lenders. Lenders are provided with an access point to deploy capital.
  2. Modernize and automate prospecting: The platform uses technology to allow for smart and efficient prospecting which works better for both lenders and borrowers.
  3. Add digitization, transparency, and standardization to the loan process: Borrowers and lenders have the ability to track the loan process in real-time.
  4. Continue to innovate and digitize small- to medium-sized business lending: Bridge built by Citi modernizes the lending process while supporting businesses and local and regional lenders.
  5. Democratize the loan process for both lenders and borrowers: Enable capital access for small- to medium-sized business owners impacted by COVID-19 and populations that have historically been underserved, as well as break down legacy barriers for community, local and regional banks to provide capital to a broad range of communities.

Citi has a long-standing commitment to inclusive growth and expanding access to financial services for underserved market segments, including local business owners and entrepreneurs. 

Recognizing the importance of local businesses and banks to the vitality of U.S. communities, a team within Citi Commercial Bank saw an opportunity to build a digital meeting place that would help businesses thrive by increasing and facilitating easier access to capital.

“Citi prides itself on encouraging a spirit of entrepreneurship among its employees to solve financial access issues and improve digital offerings for our clients and community partners,” explained Vanessa Colella, Citi’s Chief Innovation Officer. “The development and launch of the Bridge built by Citi platform is a great example of the power of innovation that comes from within a global institution like Citi and our ability to build a service that has the potential to change the future of business lending.”

About JD Bank

Founded in 1947, JD Bank, Louisiana’s Community Bank, offers a variety of personal and commercial lending and deposit products through both physical and digital delivery channels. JD Bank also offers both trust and investment services. JD Bank operates through 21 full service branch offices located along the Interstate 10 corridor from Lake Charles to Lafayette, Louisiana. For more information, visit www.jdbank.com or call 800-789-5159. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender