FDIC-Insured - Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government A New Name. A Deep Bench of Banking Experience.
Primis may be a newer name, but our story didn’t start in 2021.
Primis Bank officially launched on March 31, 2021, when Sonabank became Primis Bank and Southern National Bancorp of Virginia became Primis Financial Corp. What changed was the name. What didn’t change was the experience behind it.
Long before Primis entered the picture, our team was working to build a bank grounded in relationships, strong service, and real-world expertise. Today, we’re still guided by that same commitment—just with better tools, improved technology, and a fresh perspective on how banking should actually work.
Where It Started
Our roots trace back to Sonabank, whose first branch opened in Virginia in 2005.
From the very beginning, our goal wasn’t just to be another bank. It was to build something better—an institution that combined personal service with smart, strategic growth. As Sonabank expanded across Virginia through acquisitions and community partnerships, we deepened our expertise while growing alongside the customers and businesses we served.
Each step forward helped strengthen our foundation. Each expansion helped bring new capability to our customers. And each milestone moved us closer to becoming the modern banking partner we are today.
Building Strength Through Growth
Over the next decade, Sonabank grew its footprint through strategic acquisitions and steady expansion—adding new locations, welcoming new customers, and broadening its ability to serve both individuals and businesses throughout Virginia and the Mid‑Atlantic region.
In 2017, Sonabank entered a transformational chapter through its merger with Eastern Virginia Bankshares. The combined organization brought together the experience of two successful Virginia banking institutions—including the legacy of a bank whose history dated back more than a century.
That combination of scale, experience, and commitment to community banking created a stronger institution—one equipped to better serve customers across evolving markets and economic cycles.
Introducing Primis
By 2021, it was clear the future of banking would demand something more: better technology, simpler solutions, and a more customer‑focused experience.
That’s why Sonabank officially became Primis Bank on March 31, 2021—marking the beginning of a new brand built to reflect where we were going, not just where we had been.
Primis represents a deliberate step forward. A move toward smarter service. Better access. And a banking experience designed to meet customers where they are—whether that’s online, on the phone, or in person.
While our name may be new, the expertise behind it comes from years of real‑world banking experience.
Experience That Moves Banking Forward
Today, Primis brings together that legacy of experience with a modern approach grounded in innovation and real human support.
We combine the strength and security of an FDIC‑insured financial institution with the mindset of a technology‑driven company—giving customers simpler products, faster service, and access to real Primis representatives 24/7.
We’re proud of where we’ve come from. And even more focused on where we’re going next.
Because better banking doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens when experience meets new ideas.
When real people stay focused on real customer needs.
And when a bank is willing to challenge the status quo.
That’s the story behind Primis—and we’re just getting started.