The Oakleaf

April is community banking month, a time when we traditionally celebrate what we believe makes our bank unique - our community focused approach and personalized experience. During more normal times, you would see our team out at volunteer events, serving on boards, and joining in at community events. This is what makes working with a local bank so unique – your banking partners are right here in the community alongside you as you go about your day. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to do what we love has changed. We are all learning new ways for us to stay connected. But we remain focused on what matters most to us – the health and welfare of the communities that we are proud to be a part of.

We’re all experiencing a time of tremendous stress, uncertainty and isolation. And that means it’s a good time to protect yourself from scammers who may try to use the current environment to obtain your money and sensitive information.

As community bankers, we care about our customers and want to make their lives better. So, since my expertise is financial fraud, I want to share the following tips on how to prevent being defrauded during this difficult time.

Hi, I’m Scott Gruber, President and CEO of Tompkins VIST Bank.

Since 1909, Tompkins VIST Bank has been serving our customers and our communities through economic vitality, economic hardships, and everything in-between. 

We are all aware that the Coronavirus has thrown shock waves into our community, and knowing how to navigate through these challenging times can be difficult. But we will get through this – together.

The key to our success as a community bank is our employees. They’re the ones who build relationships with customers and keep us connected to our communities.  We want to pay a special thanks to these team members who have completed the following years of service with our company:

Didn’t make a resolution yet? How about making one that’s easy to keep, with Digital Wallet?! With our Tompkins Debit MasterCard now compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of its convenient features and the security it offers.

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.