Independent Banker - April 2024 - 56

Kennebec Savings Bank knows that
working with customers on an individual
level can make a huge difference in
its community.
Kennebec
Savings Bank
Augusta, Maine
One of the $1.7 billion-asset
community bank's customers confided
to a branch teller that she was unable
to have her 9-year-old
daughter live with her
because her housing
had a limitation
of the number of
people who could
reside there. Bank
staff worked with
the church next door
to the branch, which
found better housing and
Mortgage specialist
John Cassata (right)
discussing potential
mortgage options
with homebuyers
gave the woman money for a security
deposit, so she could be reunited with
her daughter, who had been staying with
The employees of $1.6 billion-asset Chelsea Groton Bank go
out of their way to help first-time homebuyers.
One couple wanted to buy the home they had been renting for
10 years, but the husband, who had the primary income, had poor
credit, and the wife only worked part-time, says mortgage
specialist John Cassata.
Chelsea
Groton Bank
Groton, Conn.
Cassata suggested that the couple find a cosigner
and consider applying for an FHA loan, and
the husband's brother-a successful business
executive-said he would help.
" They applied in [June], but it took until
August to close because there were some liens
and other outstanding things with the seller, "
he says. " But we all hung in there. Daniela Ness,
my assistant, was very instrumental in helping these
folks close. "
Cassata and Ness also worked with the seller's attorney to have the
$8,000 in closing costs included in the final sale price. The couple's
landlord gave them a good break on the price, and consequently,
they were able to finally buy the home with a 3.5% down payment of
about $5,000.
" The wife has been living in the community all her life, with a lot
of [family] and friends, " Cassata says. " She tells people that we're
just not a typical 'one and done' transactional lender-we really work
with people until the close, and we do a nice job. "
Chelsea Groton Bank also offers educational classes on personal
finance, small business finance and first-time homebuying, including
a homebuying class taught in both English and Spanish languages,
says Miria Gray, the bank's community education officer.
" It's important to us that our classes are open to everyone, because
it makes our community more vibrant, " Gray says. " It supports
our small businesses more. People have more expendable income
because they understand how to better manage their finances. "
56 // ICBA Independent Banker // April 2024
the grandmother.
" Afterward, she came into the branch
in tears of joy because she had found
a new place, " says Andrew E. Silsby,
president and CEO. " It's all about
knowing our customers, being the fabric
of the community and making those
connections for people. "
Knowing customers well can also
save them from a potentially fraudulent
situation. Recently, an elderly customer
came into a Kennebec branch to
The staff of
Capitol
Bank
$561 million-asset
Capitol Bank
believes in " building
relationships that
make a difference " -and
that extends to folks who aren't even
customers yet.
Recently, the community bank helped
a noncustomer from out of state who
wanted to cash two small checks after
being rejected from numerous other
financial institutions, says Gary Kuter,
senior vice president of retail banking
and chief compliance officer.
" While we didn't bank her at the time,
Madison, Wis.
Independent Banker - April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - April 2024
