Farmers Bank & Trust breaks ground on Nashville Road, expanding into Simpson County

FRANKLIN, Ky. — When Farmers Bank & Trust turned the first shovels of dirt on Nashville Road, the man leading the effort wasn’t a stranger to Simpson County. He grew up there.

Chris Hall, the bank’s Bowling Green Market president and a Franklin native, is leading Farmers Bank & Trust’s expansion into his hometown — from the decision to come, to selecting the site, to building the local team that will run it. The bank broke ground on its new Franklin office Thursday, July 9, before a crowd of local officials, business leaders, bank employees, contractors and community members, according to the bank.

It marks Farmers Bank’s entry into Simpson County and is the company’s 11th office overall, with doors expected to open in mid-2027.

“Franklin is home, and helping bring Farmers Bank & Trust to a community that means so much to me is truly a dream come true,” Hall said. “But we know that building a bank here doesn’t automatically earn the trust and respect of this community. That’s something we’ll have to earn every day — by being present, supporting local families and businesses, and serving Franklin the way a good neighbor should.”

The office will be staffed by local people, and the bank has already begun laying that groundwork. It recently named the first member of its new Franklin–Simpson County Community Board of Directors, local businessman Joey Traughber, and will hire local staff as the opening approaches.

Hall isn’t the only Franklin native behind the effort.

Greg Burrell, a commercial lender and business development officer on Farmers Bank’s Bowling Green team, grew up in Franklin as well and is helping lead the bank’s expansion into Simpson County, according to the bank.

Farmers Bank was founded in 1899 in Marion, Kentucky, about two hours west of Franklin.

During the ceremony, Wade Berry, president and CEO of Farmers Bank & Trust, reminded those in attendance of a strong historical bond between the two towns. For years, Potter & Brumfield was among the largest employers in both Marion and Franklin. When the Marion plant closed, many of those workers moved to Franklin — and some of their families are still here today.

“Franklin reminds me of Marion in a lot of ways — the same honest, friendly, small-town people,” said Berry, who worked summers at the Marion Potter & Brumfield plant while attending Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. “The difference is that Franklin’s spot on I-65, between Bowling Green and Nashville, gives it something a lot of small towns don’t have — room to grow. The more time we spent here, the more it felt like home. Choosing to build here wasn’t a hard decision.”

Berry said the culture at its offices is what sets it apart.

“That ownership changes everything,” Berry said. “We don’t hold employee meetings; we hold owners meetings. Owners answer the phone on their way out the door. Owners solve problems on a Saturday. Owners do what’s right because it’s their bank. That’s the culture we’re bringing to Franklin.”

The new office will offer a full range of personal and business banking services, with lending and account decisions made locally.

“At Farmers Bank, we often say, ‘Your story becomes our story,'” Hall added. “That means taking the time to know our customers, and recognizing that every person and every business has a unique journey. We’re here to become part of this community, invest in it, and help it keep growing.”

Construction is set to begin on Nashville Road in the coming weeks. Updates will be shared as the building takes shape.