The Oakleaf

The New Year is a time for resolutions. A time to commit. A time to make a change.

Every employer has at least one shining star – someone that stands out above the rest. At Tompkins VIST Bank we are fortunate to have many individuals who rise to the top and this week we are celebrating their accomplishments and dedication. These employees are our tellers and universal bankers that work at our 19 offices. Why refer to them as “educators-in-chief”? Every day customers come into our branches seeking answers to all their financial needs. Who is the first person they turn to – our front line staff. The same people who complete your simple transactions like cashing checks and making deposits also frequently demonstrate technology to our less tech savvy customers who want to learn the benefits of our online platforms; they teach customers how to balance their check books; and how to manage their finances in a positive way to avoid overdrafts; they educate customers on funds availability; and they continuously STOP fraud before it happens when they can. All of these behaviors have a positive effect on the success of Tompkins VIST Bank. Even more importantly it provides our customers with the tools they need to successfully manage their money.

This month is National Gratitude Month, and it’s very appropriate that Veteran’s Day falls during this time frame. We owe our freedom to the sacrifices made by our veterans throughout our history, and every year we have the opportunity to show our appreciation on November 11, the day Veteran’s Day began to mark the end of World War 1. We’ve continued to use this day to honor all of those who have served in our armed forces.

We would like to thank those in our community who served our country. We know that your service has had a deep impact on you as well as the lives of your family and friends. It also has become an important part of our nation’s history.
We at Tompkins VIST Bank are proud of our team members who are veterans, we would like to list those who have identified themselves as having served, who work in Southeastern PA.

•  Bill Bunch - Courier
• Yolanda Douglas- Fox Chase
• William Hinks – IT
• Frank Strunk –Commercial Lending
• Joe Shivick- Facilities
• Tim West- Tompkins Financial Advisors

Thank you all for your service to our country.

Tompkins VIST Bank’s 110th anniversary this year provided a good reason for the Exeter Branch on Perkiomen Avenue in Reading to host a chamber mixer recently. “Not every bank can say they’ve served the community for that long, so we wanted to highlight it,” said JJ Valerio, branch manager and vice president of Business Development. He added another reason: “We have a mission to make our office better known to businesses and consumers in Exeter Township.”

About 70 people attended the event, which was cohosted by the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance. “It is always a great opportunity to partner with the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance,” said JJ. The mixer, like all Tompkins VIST Bank events, supports the local community. In this case the fare and beverages were provided by Musso’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria and Pagoda Hill Vineyards, respectively. “We have a very tight knit business community, so we like to support local businesses,” he said.

Especially popular were real-time portraits of guests drawn by Courtney Sell, owner of Caricatures by Courtney. And each guest received a commemorative 110th anniversary mug. “Throughout our history, we’ve kept service to customers and our communities at the center of everything we do,” JJ said, adding that more activities are planned at the branch in the coming months.

Tompkins VIST Bank today announced enhancements to its Cash Management sales team to better serve customers:

Jena Lawrence - Vice President, Cash Management Product and Sales Manager for Tompkins Financial Corporation.  Jena Lawrence was promoted to vice president, Cash Management Product and Sales Manager. In her position, she provides strategic direction for sales and product leadership for all four of Tompkins’ affiliated banks located in Western New York, Central New York, the Hudson Valley and Southeastern Pennsylvania regions.

A resident of Sinking Spring, Lawrence has 18 years of financial services experience. She has been employed by Tompkins VIST Bank for the past 15 years as Cash Management Sales Manager. She was previously employed by Susquehanna Bank. She has attended the PA Bankers School of Treasury for Management Courses I and II.

Active in the community, she has volunteered for United Way of Berks County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Emerging Leaders United. Lawrence is also associated the Association for Financial Professionals, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce, Women2Women, Greater Reading Young Professionals, Tri-County Chamber, Tri-County LEYP Young Professionals, Tri-County REACH, Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce, Main Line Chamber of Commerce, and Main Line Young Professionals.

Tompkins VIST Bank announced that Nicholas Litrenta has joined the company as the assistant vice president and commercial loan officer. In his position he is responsible for collaborating with business owners and real estate investors to help with their financing needs.

A resident of Douglassville, Litrenta has ten years of experience in financial services. His previous career was with Fleetwood Bank. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Immaculata University, where he majored in business administration.

Involved within his community, Litrenta serves as the treasurer for the Boyertown Rotary Club, and is a board member of the South Mountain YMCA. He also was part of the Leadership Berks Class of 2019 and serves as the social co-chair for the Leadership Berks.

Welcome to “The Accounting Corner" with Chris and Katelin!

The 21st annual business card exchange at Tompkins VIST Bank’s Fox Chase Branch came with something extra: students from the Fox Chase Music School who provided a lively accompaniment to the networking activity.

About 50 people attended the recent event; they represented the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Rockledge Fox Chase Business Association and the Northeast Sunrisers Rotary Club.

“My staff and I look forward to hosting this event all year,” said Theresa Guldin, bank manager. “Despite the dominance of email and social media to do business, I think people realize the importance of meeting face to face.” To encourage networking, Theresa gave everyone an “assignment” to make sure everyone connected with a least one or two new people. She then encouraged them to follow-up after the mixer to see how far their new connections could go..

These events are part of Tompkins VIST Bank’s DNA, as is supporting the community. In fact, last month the bank sponsored and coordinated an event involving five chambers along the 422 business corridor. “Working together with each other makes us better business people and creates a stronger community, and the first step getting together,” said Theresa. “The music students performed was the icing on the cake,” she said, adding that the bank gave the school a donation in appreciation of their work.

Support and Cooperation Made the Once-Annual Event a Success.

With federal mortgage interest rates at historic lows, now may be the time to talk to us about making the most of your mortgage. Many people don’t realize that when you buy a home, you don’t necessarily need to keep the same mortgage and rate for the life of the loan.