Orange Bank & Trust cut the ribbon Oct. 21 on its newest branch in Throggs Neck, the bank’s second Bronx location and sixteenth statewide.
The new location at East Tremont Ave. and Greene Place joins the Morris Park branch on Williamsbridge Road, which opened in 2021, to provide wealth management and banking services for all kinds of businesses, from mom-and-pop shops to large corporate firms.
Orange Bank & Trust was founded in 1892 and is known for its “high-touch personal service,” according to Anthony Pili, senior vice president/chief innovation officer.
All bankers’ business cards list their cell phone numbers, and the bank does not have any 1-800 numbers with automated messaging, Pili told the Bronx Times.
This personal approach works for the company that views itself as not just a business but a friendly neighbor, he said. “We live and work in the communities.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Michael Gilfeather, bank president, director and CEO, said the growth in local businesses and nonprofits could make Bronx County “the biggest market ever in the history of the bank.”
Orange Bank & Trust is “very, very bullish on the Bronx,” and the company expects to open another branch in the borough in the near future, Gilfeather said.
Local leaders agreed that the bank’s expansion was a positive sign for the borough.
Borough President Vanessa Gibson presented a Citation of Merit and said the bank’s second branch demonstrates the company’s commitment to the Bronx business community. “Thank you for believing in the possibilities of our borough,” she said.
With a massive amount of planned new development, spanning housing, business, transit and more, “We can’t be afraid to embrace change,” Gibson said.
She said she looked forward to an influx of lending to help bolster Bronx economic growth. “We can’t do anything in this borough without our banking institutions,” she said.
Lisa Sorin, president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, has previously said that small businesses in the Bronx are “booming” despite an overall climate of economic uncertainty. At the ribbon-cutting, she said Throggs Neck in particular is undergoing a “renaissance.”
For instance, there are only two storefront vacancies within the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District (BID) catchment area, according to Robert Jaen, BID executive director, who attended the ceremony.
Sorin said Orange Bank’s presence in the community would bring a positive ripple effect.
“When banks invest, that’s telling the borough and telling the businesses the support is there. You’ve got everything you need to succeed,” she said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
