Kish Bank Breaks Ground on Innovation Center, Announces Key Technology Initiatives

October 17, 2019

PRESS RELEASE

REEDSVILLE, PA – Kish Bank ceremoniously broke ground on a new facility in Reedsville on Thursday, October 17, laying the foundation for the future of the organization. The Kish Innovation Center will serve as the company’s technology and operations hub and is designed to support the long-term sustainability of Kish Bank well into the future through an enhanced capacity for training, collaboration, and innovation.

L to R: Harv McCardle, Bill Dancy, Frances Vaughn, Paul Howes, Bill Hayes, Christina Calkins-Mazur, Spyros Degleris, Bill Lake, Greg Hayes, Jim Lakso, Gary Oden, Jim Felmlee, Scott Pecht (Brown Township), George Woskob, and Jamie Fultz (Brown Township).

The new 38,000 square-foot facility will sit at the intersection of Routes 655 and 322 in Reedsville, and will feature work space for 100 employees, training and multipurpose space for 250 employees, and unique collaboration and engagement spaces. “There was no question that this location—the gateway to the Kishacoquillas Valley—would be the cornerstone for our future. This is where Kish has been rooted for over 100 years,” remarked Kish Bank CEO, Bill Hayes. He continued, “Building this facility in Mifflin County is not just good for our community, but good for Kish. This community has supported us for a long time, and we recognize that we have benefited from the tremendous talent pool here, evidenced by the longevity and stability of our team.”

The construction of the Innovation Center is part of a larger focus on Kish’s digital transformation that will enhance the delivery of banking and financial services, advance Kish’s ability to compete and respond in a digital environment, and better support Kish’s rural markets outside of traditional banking hours. Key technology initiatives for the next year include a complete redesign of the organization’s network and IT infrastructure, overhaul of Kish’s Information Security program, and modernization of its core banking processor. These investments in technology will allow Kish to remain focused on the customer by streamlining processes, improving response times, eliminating downtime, and increasing speed of service.

A 3-D rendering of Kish’s new Innovation Center.

These initiatives represent the next steps in Kish’s continuous digital transformation strategy, which has been driven, in large part, by Gregory T. Hayes, President and Chief Operating Officer for the Bank. Hayes is committed to the long-term viability of the community bank model through technology advancement and innovation. He has also been appointed to the Board of Directors of Summit Technology Group (STG), a cloud technology company offering IT solutions for banks looking to modernize their infrastructure.

“We are a people-focused community bank—always have been, always will be,” said Greg Hayes. “Our mission is simple: ‘To achieve sustained success through an unwavering focus on fulfilling our clients’ financial needs.’ We believe we can improve the lives of our customers, team members, and communities—and a digital transformation, spearheaded by the groundbreaking of our new Innovation Center, will help us do just that.”

Kish will be utilizing an independent construction management firm to oversee the construction. Bids have been received from more than 65 local subcontractors for the twelve different divisions of work. “Utilizing local contractors, labor, and suppliers is a major priority for us at Kish, and the construction management approach facilitates that goal,” said Hayes. Construction is scheduled to start soon, with completion targeted for fall 2020. Site preparation work has already begun and coordination with Brown Township, Mifflin County, and the State of Pennsylvania has been important to the project. Kish Bank has also been granted a sewer easement through its property and contributed money to benefit a public sewer main extension project for Brown Township that will extend public sewer access for future growth of the township.

About Kish Bank

Kish Bank is a $900 million regional community bank that operates sixteen offices and financial centers in Centre, Mifflin, and Huntingdon counties. Affiliates of Kish Bank include: Kish Insurance, Kish Financial Solutions, Kish Benefits Consulting, and Kish Travel. For additional information, please visit www.kishbank.com. Kish Bank is a subsidiary of Kish Bancorp, Inc., trading under the OTC stock ticker symbol of KISB.

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