Welcome to the GRBblog! Get to know GRB, Rochester's only locally owned and managed commercial bank. A commercial bank, but also a community bank, with an entrepreneurial spirit about everything we do. We're committed to Growing Rochester Business and making our community a better place to live and work.
The GRBblog is where we post bank news and information, stories about the great organizations we support, and share relevant local and national business news.
On Oct. 10, RIT’s Saunders College of Business honored local entrepreneur, philanthropist and GRB Co-founder E. Philip Saunders with a permanent wall display at the college to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the naming of the Saunders College of Business. Mr. Saunders’ contributions to both the business community and to the community at large has been the cornerstone of his success. As the president and CEO of Saunders Management Co., Mr. Saunders remains committed to enhancing the Rochester region.
In an article written by RIT and available at https://www.rit.edu/news/story.php?id=63918, Mr. Saunders explains the importance of his work with the Saunders College of Business:
“Giving back to the community is an important thing to do for a person who has been successful. In the last decade, Saunders College has increased enrollment, attracted quality faculty and achieved high rankings.”
Enroll now. Save money. Earn a $7,500 grant. Buy a house in 10 months. That’s First Home Club with GRB.
A home remains one of the best long-term investments you can make. To make it easier for first-time buyers to purchase a home, GRB and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) work together to provide down payment assistance through the First Home Club.
The First Home Club provides $4 in matching funds at closing for every $1 saved in a dedicated First Home Club Savings Account at GRB, up to a total grant amount of $7,500. Participants make monthly deposits into this account over a 10-month period and then use that money when the obtain a mortgage with GRB. And for a limited time, GRB is also offering a $50 gift card upon enrollment and $250 off mortgage closing costs.
The catch…we only receive a limited number of First Home Club enrollment spots each year, and we’re coming to the end of the year. Our remaining spots will go fast, but there is still time to get enrolled. GRB handles everything in house, so it takes less than 10 business days to get approved!
Buying a home is a significant investment, but GRB and the FHLBNY make it easier – and more cost effective – with First Home Club.
Stacey MichaelsThursday, October 5, 2017Uncategorized
Congratulations to GRB’s Executive Vice President, Chief Lending Officer David Halladay on his recent appointment to the Bivona Child Advocacy Center’s Board of Directors. Bivona’s mission is to deliver excellence in child abuse response, healing and prevention through collaborative service, awareness, education and leadership. Established in 2004, the organization has served more than 16,000 children in our community deal with the effects of physical and sexual abuse.
We are pleased to congratulate The Village Bakery and Cafe, JoJo Bistro & Wine Bar, the Pittsford Farms Dairy & Bakery and ROC and Soul Fitness on their move to the Village of Webster on the northeast side of Main Street.
As the property owner of the largely retail space since 2014, GRB has been looking for the right mix of businesses for the stretch of shops, now known as North 43: The Shops at Main Street. It took time, but the wait has been worth it. The renovated and reimagined space for these businesses (and others!) promises to be a great area for Webster residents to gather and enjoy a wide variety of delicious restaurants and other services. North 43: The Shops at Main Street is a great example of partnership, creativity and community.
We congratulate Charlie Fitzsimmons, owner of The Village Bakery and Cafe and JoJo Bistro and Wine Bar and visionary for this project, as well as the other businesses that will be adding great new destinations to the village scene. Look for additional updates and photos as this project progresses…and find out details about the development in a recent Democrat & Chronicle article.
Stacey MichaelsMonday, September 11, 2017Uncategorized
It has been widely reported that more than 143 million Americans may have had their personal information compromised in a breach reported by consumer credit reporting bureau Equifax.
Find out if you have been impacted
Because of Equifax’s role as a credit repository, nearly anyone could be at risk. We recommend using the website established by Equifax to determine whether you may have been effected www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. Click on the “Potential Impact” button and follow the instructions for entering your last name and the last six digits of your social security number. Equifax will notify you of your status.
Tips for protecting yourself
If you have been impacted, Equifax is offering a free year of identity theft protection and credit monitoring. There are also other services available for identity theft protection and credit monitoring that you may also want to consider.
Don’t forget to check the social security numbers of all members of your family who may have a credit history on file.
Keep monitoring your accounts for any suspicious activity and notifiy us immediately if you see something unfamiliar.
You may also want to add new alerts or tighten the parameters of the alerts on your accounts for added protection.
Identity theft is a serious issue and we encourage all of our customers to take extra care at this time – and every day. Please see our Security Resources page for more information.
Stacey MichaelsThursday, August 31, 2017Uncategorized
Although GRB is usually focused on helping those in the Rochester region, it’s impossible to ignore the misery that those in Houston and surrounding areas are feeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Like many here in our area, GRB is ready to help.
We have already placed a donation with the local chapter of the American Red Cross earmarked for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and our mortgage team is donating $25 on every application taken in the month of September to the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
We know that many of our friends and associates in the community are also helping out. The Weather Channel has a list of recognized organizations that are currently assisting with relief efforts. We also want to pass along a cautious reminder about responding to email requests for donations. This week, the FTC issued an alert warning consumers to be on the lookout for scams and Krebs on Security reports that hundreds of new Web sites using “hurricane” and “harvey” have been registered in the last few days.
We know the recovery effort in Texas and the Gulf Coast will be long and difficult. Today, we keep those who are struggling in our thoughts, say thank you for what we have, and take stock in being part of a community that reaches out to help those in need, wherever they are.
Stacey MichaelsWednesday, August 30, 2017Uncategorized
If you’ve ever thought about owning a franchise, now is your chance to hear about the opportunities and challenges from successful franchise owners in a number of industries. This event features a panel discussion with representatives from Allstate Insurance, Wendy’s, Jan-Pro and McDonald’s. Sponsored by the Greece Regional Chamber of Commerce and facilitated by John Adams of FranNet, the session promises to offer an inside look at the ins and outs of franchise ownership. Tickets are $10 for chamber members, $30 for non-members. Students with a valid ID are FREE. Join us:
“Business Success Stories: The Franchise” Date: Sept. 12, 2017 Time: Registration, 8 a.m., panel discussion and Q.&A., 8:30-10:30 a.m. Location: Held at GRB’s Winton Road offices at 1850 South Winton Road, Rochester, NY 14618
Please join the GRB team in congratulating Jewel Allred and Courtney Ferenchak on their recent promotions.
Jewel was promoted from Underwriter to Senior Underwriter. Jewel joined GRB in 2014 as a Mortgage Processor and transitioned to the Underwriting department a year later. She earned her Direct Endorsement (DE) certification in April 2016.
Courtney was promoted to Collateral & Documentation Team Leader. After joining GRB in June 2012, Courtney quickly became a go-to resource on the Collateral & Documentation team and was promoted to a Senior Specialist in January 2014.
As GRB continues to grow, we are pleased to have new opportunities for our team members to learn new skills and take on new challenges.
Thank you to Jewel and Courtney for all your hard work and best of luck in your new roles!
Stacey MichaelsTuesday, August 8, 2017GRB Mortgage
The University of Rochester has expanded their map for the University Home Ownership Incentive Program to include several new neighborhoods. This program aims to increase the number of full-time and part-time U of R faculty living in and around the University’s River Campus and Medical Center. Up to $9,000 worth of funding may be available and already more than 350 homes have been purchased through the University Home Ownership Incentive Program since it was launched in 2008. The map provided on the GRB Home Mortgage page allows you to search a specific street address to determine if the property qualifies. The map previously included parts of the 19th Ward and the South Wedge and now includes the Upper Mount Hope area, Marketview Heights, EMMA neighborhoods and many more.
To get started, call the U of R Benefits Office at 585.275.0476 to verify your eligibility for the loan. Once you’ve received the go-ahead, you need to complete a grant application from the City of Rochester and discuss mortgage options with us here at Genesee Regional Bank before putting in a purchase offer for any property. You can call us at 585.427.9200 or send us an email. Happy house hunting Rochester!
We are pleased to announce that both GRB Business BillPay and GRB BillPay for consumers have completed the upgrade process and now include a number of new features.
Every effort was made to transfer all scheduled payments and recurring payments to the new solution, but we encourage all customers to verify their accounts as soon as possible.
Business BillPay Users
Dual Control for additional security
Bank-to-Bank Transfers for added payment convenience
Pay-a-Person options for paying individuals electronically or with a paper check
