History is full of examples of leaders in business, science, and other fields who, through their ability to inspire and guide people, have made the world a better place.  We celebrate our nation’s highest elected office on Presidents’ Day, this year on February 15. With this upcoming celebration, especially in the midst of a challenging environment, we thought it a good opportunity to ask Tompkins Bank of Castile President and CEO John Mckenna for his thoughts on the subject.

Who has/had the greatest influence on you?  

My parents have been the greatest influence on my life and my values.  Their commitment to each other, to our family, close friends and their work set an example I’ve tried to emulate in my life.

What is your favorite thing about leading a community bank?  

What I enjoy most is being able to help our clients accomplish things that are important to them, whether it’s on a personal level such as buying their first home, or much more significant such as building a commercial building or transitioning business ownership from one generation to the next.  

How do you inspire others?  

I find that helping colleagues at the bank see and focus on the impact they are having for our clients and communities is an effective way to find inspiration in what we do every day. 

Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of?  

I’ve been quite happy to support the continued success and growth of the Bank of Castile following 26 years of steady leadership by Jim Fulmer, and including recently finishing our 150th year of serving WNY.

What are your hobbies/interests?  

I really do enjoy my job and work takes up a lot of my time but I do find time to tackle a project or two at our camp on Long Lake in the Adirondacks.  Thankfully its an old style Adirondack camp where everything is made of wood, and my carpentry skills are growing over time.