Tompkins Community Bank says its longtime leader is retiring.
Bank President Gregory Hartz will retire in the spring of 2023, after 20 years of service with the company.
Hartz retires after 40 years in the banking industry. He joined Tompkins in 2002, in the role of vice president and trust officer for the former Tompkins Investment Services, now Tompkins Financial Advisors. He was promoted to the role of senior vice president and then to president/CEO of Tompkins Trust Company in 2007, and today serves in the role of president of Tompkins Community Bank’s Central New York market.
He currently sits on the board of directors of the bank and is an executive vice president of the bank holding company, Tompkins Financial Corp., and a member of its senior leadership team.
Consistent with his personal values and that of Tompkins, Hartz is active in community service through multiple nonprofit boards and many leadership roles throughout the market. He currently serves on the board of Cayuga Health System as chair of the personnel and finance committee and a member of the executive committee; on the Ithaca Area Economic Development board as past board chair and a member of the executive committee; on the Cornell University Council as a member of the administrative board as well as mentoring committee chair; as emeritus member of the Dyson Advisory Council; as a Cornell Community Relations Committee member; and on the event committee for the Racker Rivals Big Red.
Past community affiliations have included service to the Legacy Foundation as past board chair; United Way as past campaign chair and board chair; Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce as past board chair; and Challenge Workforce Solutions as past board chair. Prior professional involvement includes serving in the role of board chair for the Independent Bankers Association of New York State (IBANYS).
Tompkins has a robust succession planning process in place that will be conducted over the next several months. The process includes our board and senior management, and will help us identify the best candidate to serve our Central New York banking community in the role Greg vacates upon his retirement. It will include careful consideration of both internal and external candidates.
“Greg Hartz embodies everything good about community bank leadership. His many contributions to Tompkins and this community cannot be overstated,” said Tompkins Financial board member and chair of Tompkins Central New York community bank board, Dan Fessenden. “He has been a significant player in the growth of our bank here in central New York and led Tompkins’ expansion into the Syracuse market.”
Steve Romaine, president & CEO of Tompkins Financial Corp. added, “Throughout his long career and two decades with Tompkins, Greg has been a friend in the truest sense to not only those he worked with and for, but to our community as a whole. He wears his natural love of people and passion for his community on his sleeve – you can’t know him without knowing how deeply he touches everyone around him, both inside and outside of the bank’s walls. I know I speak for all of us in wishing Greg and his family happy times ahead, as he retires to continue to pursue his many interests, involvements and friendships.”
“I have enjoyed a wonderful career at Tompkins and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served this company for so many years. I am proud of our company’s commitment to the community and I am proud of the many very dedicated employees who work every day to deliver an outstanding experience for our customers, communities and shareholders,” Hartz said.
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