Cherokee Bancshares, Inc.

Cherokee Bancshares, Inc. reads like a local bank holding company, the sort of name that usually sits behind a smaller community operation rather than a consumer brand with a loud public face. By our assessment, it is the kind of company people only notice when they are looking for the bank’s corporate shell, not when they want a polished retail experience. The appeal, when these firms are well run, is usually straightforward local banking and a simple structure; the limit is that there is little here for anyone outside that narrow use. In practice, this kind of company tends to be dull in the best sense: deposits, loans, branches, and a lot of plain administration. Compared with bigger regional names, Cherokee Bancshares, Inc. would sit in a quieter corner of the market and would not be the first pick for someone wanting breadth or a national footprint.