Tompkins Financial Corporation Promotes Amanda Catone to Officer, Assistant Branch Manager

Tompkins Financial Corporation has promoted Amanda Catone to Officer, Assistant Branch Manager. She is reporting to Deborah Hoover, Branch Manager of the Main Office. Catone, who has six years of experience in the financial industry, will be responsible for overseeing the daily branch operations which includes the management of the Universal Bankers and teller staff, providing sales leadership and guidance, as well as monitoring service and sales quality levels. Additionally, Catone will mentor, coach, and develop staff to achieve goals.

Tompkins Financial Corporation Hires Aurelia Mensh as Human Resources Business Partner

Tompkins Financial Corporation has hired Aurelia Mensh as the Human Resources Business Partner. She will report to Bonita Lindberg, SVP Director of Human Resources.

Tompkins Trust Company and the Legacy Foundation are pleased to announce that five Tompkins County teachers were recognized with certificates and monetary awards for their outstanding efforts to improve education in their districts. This year’s Raymond Van Houtte Teacher Award’s recipients are Jamie McCaffrey of Newfield School District, Josh Antoine of Cayuga Heights Elementary School, Meggie New of Ithaca High School, Josh Chase of Ithaca High School, and Jamie Zervos of Ithaca High School.

Tompkins Financial Corporation Welcomes Katie Shaw as Marketing and Community Relations Specialist

Tompkins Financial Corporation has hired Katie Shaw as the new Marketing and Community Relations Specialist. She will report to Abby Peterson, Marketing Communications Manager. In her role with Tompkins Financial, she will be responsible for developing relationships with local non-profit organizations and facilitating community contributions. Additionally, Shaw will support the corporate marketing initiatives for Tompkins Financial Corporation and manage advertising, public relations, and social media campaigns for Tompkins Trust Company in Central New York.

Tompkins Financial Corporation Promotes Faye Burke to Vice President, Talent Acquisition Manager

Tompkins Financial Corporation has promoted Faye Burke to Vice President, Talent Acquisition Manager. She will report to Bonita N. Lindberg, SPHR, SVP Director of Human Resources.

To celebrate November’s designation as National Gratitude Month, we are making a donation to several food pantries in Central New York, calling the initiative “Banksgiving.”

Tompkins Financial Wins 2020 Corporate Philanthropist of the Year Award

We have been awarded the Corporate Philanthropist of the Year Award by the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). This award was bestowed upon us at the National Philanthropy Day virtual celebration on November 13, 2020.

During this difficult time, Tompkins Trust Company has remained focused on serving customers. Our team members who best exemplify that commitment are our community banking staff. Like everyone else during the pandemic, they have experienced uncertainty about the future, in some cases family loss and concern for those around them. But they have shown up for work every day to make sure they support our customers and equally as important each other.

Most importantly, they’re happy to do it. Individuals who become bankers are proud to be stewards of other people’s assets and they take that job very seriously. You don’t always think of a teller or universal banker or branch management when you think of an essential worker but they are the front line to the customer. Many of our branch staff have told me how pleased they were at the beginning of the crisis when customers said (through the drive-up speakers), “Thank goodness you are open!”

Making customer accommodations is something we are very familiar with, even before COVID. Today with many business customers and individuals still working remotely, we have taken a lot of time to educate customers on the benefits of our online capabilities and even in some cases, teaching customers how to use the drive up tube as they had always come into the branch in the past. Flexibility and a level head in a branch is key during a pandemic or any crisis situation especially with fraud being at an all-time high. Our staff is not afraid to ask important questions and to get a full understanding of the transactions the customers are requesting. The trust between our customer and branch staff is really what makes our community bank the best in the region. That’s not bragging, just fact!

As a community bank, we’re dedicated to supporting businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to providing loan programs, we can help businesses hold on to the resources they have through services that help prevent fraud.  This is especially important now, when companies are operating with reduced staff, many of whom are working remotely. It’s a time when businesses are especially vulnerable to fraud. In fact, industry experts predict there will be an “explosion” of business and consumer fraud in the coming years.

As your community bank, we continue to be here for you as we work hard to rebuild our communities, together. I wanted to take the time to give you a brief update about our plans for reopening our bank lobbies.