DELMAR — The paint is still fresh at Kinderhook Bank’s branch office at 197 Delaware Ave, and customers are still enjoying the change.
Kinderhook Bank moved into the 4,500 square-foot building last September, across the street from the leased storefront it once called home for nearly six years at Delaware Plaza. The bank renovated the property furnishing the lobby with marble, glass and steel to give it a clean and modern, yet warm and friendly look. That’s one way to describe its customer service concept, too.
“Our customers love the new place,” said Shoham Piorentio, Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager. “They like the layout and really like that we have done away with the traditional teller line. It’s faster and more efficient.”
The branch has a lobby atmosphere where the staff builds one-on-one relationships with customers and offers conveniences such as iPads and WiFi, free coffee, water and cookies, and treats for pets. A kid’s play and waiting area has been added with toys, puzzles and books to read.
The location also features a coin counter, free of charge to customers, safe deposit boxes and a 24/7 drive-up ATM which will dispense multiple note denominations, accept envelope-free cash and check deposits, and produce smart receipts.
Piorentino heads up an experienced team of bankers including Liz Bukowski, Senior Personal Banker along with Tanyah Simmons and Laura Kennedy, Personal Bankers. The team has been together for many years and are excited to once again be with a strong, local community bank serving residents and businesses in Delmar.
Kinderhook Bank also offers a full line of individual and business-banking and lending services, including commercial loan services with Frank Trosset, Vice President, Commercial Lending. New to the lending team will be Kelly Bailey, just named Vice President of Residential Mortgage Lending.
“We’re a community bank,” said Piorentino. “We don’t try to wear too many hats…so we’re experts at banking.”
The move to 197 Delaware Ave was as much symbolic as it was practical for the 165-year-old bank. Piorentino said moving the branch to a building the bank now owns gives clients confidence in the strong commitment it has towards the community.
“We bought it. We’re staying. We’re in the community,” Piorentino said. “That’s huge for people to know because there are banks that have left the community. We own it, and we’re here to stay.”
In addition to Kinderhook Bank sponsoring First Night and local youth sports like Tri-Village Little League and Bethlehem Tomboys, Piorentino is active within the community. She serves on the board for Bethlehem Area YMCA, and chairs the board for the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce.
“I enjoy it,” said Piorentino, who also resides in Delmar. “I am part of the Delmar community. We really enjoy giving back to the community. This community is so important to us. They help us and support us. We opened this great branch and they’ve come in and supported us, that we want to give back.”
Established in 1853, Kinderhook Bank Corp. is the holding company of Kinderhook Bank, with eleven current branch offices in Albany, Amsterdam, Canajoharie, Chatham, Delmar, East Greenbush, Greenport, Johnstown, Kinderhook, Latham and Valatie.
