The Oakleaf

Tap. Sign Up. Make a Difference - an easy request that benefited so many. In early fall, Tompkins donated $5 dollars to our local United Way chapters for every new user that signed up for our digital banking service. The donation directly benefitted the United Way’s COVID Relief Fund to help our communities during this trying time.

To celebrate November’s designation as National Gratitude Month, Tompkins Bank of Castile, Tompkins Insurance Agencies and Tompkins Financial Advisors are donating $7,500 to several food pantries in our footprint of Western New York, calling the initiative “Banksgiving,” in lieu of hosting our annual Customer Appreciation Apple Day. As with many of our usual traditions, we’ve made adjustments this year in an effort to keep our community safe and we hope that this captures the spirit of our long-held tradition, while also helping the communities we serve during these trying times. 

Our Perry office has a new Branch Manager! Sara Mattingly is new to our Perry office, but she is no stranger to the banking industry. She has been in banking for more than 17 years, most recently as the branch manager of the Tompkins Bank of Castile Arcade and Gainesville offices. She is replacing  John Wheeler, who recently retired.

Sara not only works in the communities she serves; she becomes involved. She is a library board trustee in the Town of Gainesville and is a member of the Silver Springs Auxiliary. She is also pursuing a degree at Genesee Community College. She resides in Silver Springs with her husband and two sons, and is looking forward to making a difference in the Perry area.

“Sara continues to make us proud as she contributes her efforts not only to our branch teams, but to our community at large,” said Diane Torcello, Senior Vice President, Community Banking. “We look forward to the great work she’ll do at our Perry Branch and the leadership she will bring to the team there.”

For more information, please visit our website at BankofCastile.com or give Sara a call at the Perry Branch!

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.

Financial decisions can feel complex and hard even under normal circumstances. If the current market volatility has you questioning what are the “right” actions you should take now, you are not alone. Here are five concrete ways for you to jumpstart your financial wellness in the wake of the novel coronavirus. 

• First contact your bank
• Next, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website and complete the ID theft affidavit
• File a report with your local police
• Check your credit report. 

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 know the COVID-19 pandemic has affected each of us in various ways. A lot of people are struggling in our communities and we, as a team, are doing what we can to help get our customers through these trying financial times. But many hands make light work and we are in this together. Please consider the following suggestions to help our community through this time.

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.