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| 4/5/05 |
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Community Bank Of Orange, N.A.
Names Ed Lekis
Vice President, Commercial Lending
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CONTACT: Ron Gentile, President and CEO
845-695-7400
Middletown, New York - Community Bank of Orange, N.A. President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Gentile announced today that Ed Lekis has been appointed Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer.
"Ed has been in the banking business for 35 years, all of which has been right here in the Hudson Valley," said Mr. Gentile. "I worked with Ed for eight years and know his dedication to the community first hand. He is a valued and welcome addition to our management team at Community Bank of Orange who will provide the services necessary to assist our commercial customers."
Ed Lekis, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer
"I joined CBO because it is truly one of the few community banks left in the region and it is essentially starting from the ground floor," said Mr. Lekis. "I have known Ron Gentile for years and felt this was a good opportunity for me to continue serving our friends and neighbors in the Hudson Valley while we grow the bank and the services it provides."
The number one advantage for commercial customers who deal with a community bank is that decisions are made locally with a quick turnaround and response time. "We do not have to run applications past a nameless, faceless corporate executive, counties or states away," said Mr. Lekis. "Our local team reviews and makes decisions on loan applications in a timely fashion. People want local banking; they want a hometown bank with the service we provide."
Mr. Gentile said, "As the Hudson Valley’s economy continues to grow – and the latest employment figures from the state Department of Labor bear that out – Community Bank of Orange will continue to provide the services that are so important to the success of our business partners and retail lines customers."
Mr. Lekis is a native of Orange County, having graduated from Chester High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business from Eastern Illinois University. After college, he joined the Army and was attached to the 101st Airborne Division with the Military Police CID in Vietnam.
His banking career dates back to 1970 when he worked at the former Chester National Bank and through the years had careers with Bank of New York and Warwick Savings Bank.
Mr. Lekis and his wife, JoAnn, live in New Windsor. They have one adult daughter. |
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