Senator Michelle Hinchey Presents Bank of Greene County with New York State Empire Award

CATSKILL, NY – State Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD-46) presented the New York State Senate’s Empire Award to the Bank of Greene County for their efforts to assist area businesses in accessing financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hinchey was joined by Bank of Greene County President & CEO Don Gibson, Vice President & Director of Corporate Cash Management & Administration Allen Austin, Chief Lending Officer Perry Lasher, and Assistant Vice President of e-Communications & Corporate Secretary Susan Timan.

“When the big banks were turning away small Greene County business owners who desperately needed help getting their PPP loan applications in, it was our community lender — the Bank of Greene County — that stepped up and retooled their operations so that they could provide 24/7 support for local businesses struggling to stay afloat,” said Senator Michelle Hinchey. “The Bank of Greene County is the definition of a community-minded partner and their herculean efforts to get small business loan applications out the door has saved nearly 13,000 local jobs. I was proud to deliver a New York State Senate Empire Award to the Bank’s executive team for their incredible commitment to keeping our Greene County community moving forward amid such challenging economic times. It’s because of their work that so many of our local businesses have been able to survive and we are immensely grateful for their strong leadership.”

Bank of Greene County CEO Don Gibson said, “We are very pleased to accept this award from Senator Hinchey. Community is very important to the Bank, and our employees went above and beyond this past year to help businesses, individuals, and the overall community through the Covid-19 pandemic.  Our Lending Team, with support from all areas of the Bank, worked tirelessly to process Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications for both customers and non-customers. We processed over 2,200 applications, and helped save approximately 13,000 local jobs.”

Throughout 2020, the Bank of Greene County opened its services to all — clients and non-clients alike — to keep federal small business assistance funds circulating through the local economy and give every business a chance to rebound. During that time, the Bank of Greene County processed more than 2,200 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications and saved close to 13,000 local jobs in the process. Many employees started their day at 2:00 AM and as a team, averaged 100 applications per hour to help local businesses secure the aid they needed.

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