Hancock Whitney is closing multiple bank branches across South Mississippi
Six branch locations of Hancock Whitney Bank will close in South Mississippi at the end of the business day on Oct. 8.
It’s a sign of the times as more people bank online, and Hancock Whitney isn’t alone in closing branches.
A report from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition shows that 13,000 bank branches closed in the U.S. between 2008 and 2020 — or 14% of all branches.
The Hancock Whitney branches closing in South Mississippi are:
- Pineville Road — 5101 Beatline Road, Long Beach
- Picayune Northside — 2400 U.S. 11 North
- Pascagoula East — 3939 Denny Ave.
- Waveland — 529 U.S. 90
- Kiln — 16230 Mississippi 603
- Dedeaux Road — 14165 Dedeaux Road, Gulfport
What about the employees?
In another sign of the times, many of the employees at these branches may continue working for Hancock Whitney if they choose.
“Staffing is challenging right now for banks, just as it is for many businesses,” said Paul Maxwell, vice president and senior communications officer for Hancock Whitney.
Maxwell said, “our staffing levels have been thin over the past year, and many of these associates will be able to move to nearby branches in similar roles.”
He said everyone working at these closing branches will be offered the chance to post for open positions within the remaining locations across the bank.
“Many of the financial centers closing are in areas where we also have ample job opportunities in corporate facilities,” he said. “Right now is a particularly good time to make the decision because it provides the best opportunity for our team members to have another position in either location or in a new career in one of our corporate areas.”
Why these locations?
Maxwell said it isn’t easy for management to decide to close a branch.
“We reviewed the clients, transactions, growth and many other factors,” he said, “to ensure we selected the financial centers for consolidation that will create the least amount of client and community disruption.”
Customers were notified about the closings, he said, and bankers are working with them.
Customers can contact their local banker, he said, or call the bank’s contact center at 1-888-448-8812 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, or from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
Customers react to closings near them
Residents of the Kiln commented on social media that the Hancock Whitney is the only bank in that area, and its closing is a hardship.
The report from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition says closures in rural and low-income urban areas create “branch deserts” and consumers and small business owners are most impacted.
A Hattiesburg branch location also is closing with those in the six in the coastal counties.
Hancock Whitney has 34 locations in Mississippi, he said, and after Oct. 8 will operate 27 in the state and 180 locations across five states.
COVID-19 partially to blame
Blame the coronavirus, but also the changing habits of customers.
Maxwell said branch traffic across the industry has declined in recent years as customers bank online, making mobile deposits and money transfers on their computer or smart phone instead of in person.
“Also, debit and credit card transactions, along with a push for pandemic driven contactless transactions, are moving what used to be financial center traffic to digital banking channels,” he said. “The pandemic accelerated adoption of and preferences for digital banking.“
In response, he said, Hancock Whitney is shifting some of its investments from the branch facilities to enhance its digital capabilities.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 1:26 PM.
