Kenbridge’s Benchmark Community Bank announced this week that one of its employees recently achieved a career milestone. Crewe resident Nicole Martin completed the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Martin was among professional bankers from nineteen states, the District of Columbia, and Mexico who traveled to Baton Rouge to take part in the program. Currently serving as Benchmark’s Senior Vice President/Chief Operations Officer, Martin’s banking career spans over 20 years. Since beginning as a teller in 2002, Martin has risen through the ranks at Benchmark to her current position.

“Nicole has demonstrated commitment to providing an excellent customer experience both inside the branch and in her role leading our Operations team,” said Benchmark President/CEO Jay A. Stafford. “It’s been exciting watching Nicole interact with our customers and her team to deliver the kind of services we strive to provide every day.”

The three-year program from which she graduated on June 2, covered all aspects of banking, economics and related subjects. The program is sponsored by fifteen southern-state bankers associations in cooperation with the Division of Continuing Education at LSU. More than fifty bankers, business and professional leaders, and educators from across the U.S. comprise the faculty.

The Graduate School of Banking at LSU includes required attendance at periodic on-campus sessions interspersed with extensive bank study assignments. The three summer sessions include 210 hours of classroom instruction, as well as planned evening study, and final examinations to conclude each session.