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\u201cBoth education and community banking have played significant roles in shaping my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an institution that has meant so much to my family and me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the opportunity to join Citizens Community Bank arose, Harrell found herself at a crossroads. Leaving a career she loved wasn\u2019t easy, but the chance to serve her community in a new way was one she couldn\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Banking has always been part of Harrell\u2019s story. Her father founded Citizens Community Bank alongside his longtime friend, Steve Collins, after many years of serving Franklin County as a banker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a joy to watch my father build and lead an institution into which he poured his heart and soul,\u201d Harrell said. \u201cIt always warms my heart when someone shares a story about the positive impact he had on their life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, Harrell is proud to continue serving the same community that shaped her, while carving out her own place within the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI recognize that I have some very big shoes to fill,\u201d she said. \u201cI do not take that responsibility lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though she has been in banking for just over two years, Harrell embraces the opportunity to learn something new every day. She credits the people around her for making the transition both welcoming and rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI continue to learn something new every day,\u201d she said. \u201cBanking is a lifelong learning process, and I am grateful to be surrounded by people who are invested in my success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harrell currently works in credit analysis and marketing and also serves as chair of the loan committee and secretary to the board of directors. Each responsibility has given her a greater appreciation for the many ways community banking impacts the lives of local families and businesses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a lifelong resident of Franklin County, that mission is especially meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is both an honor and a privilege to serve the county that has given so much to me throughout my life,\u201d Harrell said. \u201cFollowing in the footsteps of my parents, I am grateful for the chance to give back to the community that raised me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That desire to serve reaches well beyond the bank. Harrell is vice president of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Board, a member of the Winchester Noon Rotary Club, and serves on the board of the Franklin County Educational Foundation for Excellence. Through each organization, she continues investing in the community she has always called home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest lessons Harrell has learned is that it\u2019s never too late to embrace a new opportunity. At 46, with two children in college, she left behind a career she was comfortable with and well established in to begin again in an entirely different profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have never regretted taking that leap of faith,\u201d she said. \u201cThis new chapter has reignited a passion and enthusiasm within me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That experience has shaped the advice she now offers to others who may be wondering if it\u2019s too late to pursue something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to take the leap,\u201d Harrell said. \u201cTaking that chance opened doors that I never expected, and it has been a reminder that it is never too late to pursue and discover new possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As she looks ahead, Harrell plans to continue learning every aspect of community banking while remaining actively involved in serving Franklin County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI believe the possibilities are endless,\u201d she said. \u201cBanking and community service are in my DNA, and I am committed to giving my very best each day, continuing to learn, and embracing every opportunity that comes my way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Harrell, this new chapter extends beyond banking. It reflects her ongoing commitment to serving Franklin County while continuing to learn, grow, and give back. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some career paths are carefully planned. Others have a way of coming full circle. For Leah Harrell, banking was always familiar. She grew up watching Citizens Community Bank become part of Franklin County\u2019s story, as well as her own. Still, she spent more than 20 years building a successful career in education before ever stepping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":25788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[6,75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","category-franklin-county"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/09\/4-2-1024x683.jpg\")
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