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.
Stacey MichaelsWednesday, July 5, 2017GRB Mortgage
It’s not just the temperature that’s rising this summer…
According to the online real estate database Zillow, the market temperature for the city of Rochester is hot! Continuing a trend from 2016, housing inventory in the Rochester area is low and those looking to buy homes are dealing with increased competition. Increased demands in combination with rising interest rates are causing higher housing prices. So what is a prospective homebuyer to do?
Genesee Regional Bank is proud to be co-sponsoring a team of 27 GRB employees for the Rochester Corporate Challenge with WCI Realty, Inc. The Corporate Challenge began in 1977 as a way for companies to celebrate teamwork, camaraderie and community all while running a 3.5 mile race. It has grown into an annual event held in thirteen cities in seven different countries. The Rochester race was added in 1991 and has grown from 76 local companies to 329. This year the event will be held at Frontier Field on Tuesday, July 11th. All proceeds from this event will go towards the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HWSC) and the Catholic Family Center (CFC) Adult Mentoring Program. Both the HWSC and the CFC are priority projects of the One Community Plan which works to alleviate poverty by supporting the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative. Please visit https://www.jpmorganchasecc.com/city/rochester for more information. We’ll see you at the finish line!
Beginning July 5, 2017, checks you have written will now post to your account on the same day they are received by GRB (typically by 1 PM that day). Previously, checks clearing your account were processed in the evening and didn’t affect your available balance until the following morning.
The change applies to both individual customer and business accounts. Up-to-date balances will be reflected in online banking and in the cash available for withdrawal at ATMs.
Same-day check processing provides a more accurate, real-time view of your account and allows you to plan more carefully. To view your updated balance, simply log-in to your GRBonline account after 1 p.m. If additional funds are needed to cover checks you have written, you can transfer money online from other accounts or stop in to a GRB branch before close of business.
We are happy to announce that GRB is the presenting sponsor for Blues Bash 2017, a one-day-only celebration of blues music with an incredible line up of artists. Slated for Saturday, May 20, Blues Bash will include performances by Rochester favorite Steve Grills, internationally acclaimed guitarist Joe Beard, the soulful Alexis P. Suter Band, singer and harmonica player Tad Robinson and acclaimed blues guitarist, bandleader and producer Dave Specter.
You can go to one, two, three, or all four events. The “Bash Pass” ($50 presale) provides unlimited access to the Bash from beginning to end. Walk-up single tickets will be available on the day of the event for $20 per concert.
Blues Bash 2017 will be held at the Lyric Theatre, 440 East Avenue, in the heart of the Neighborhood of the Arts. There will also be food trucks and a cash bar.
“Our community has a rich musical history and we are proud to be bringing another signature event to the Rochester stage,” said GRB President and CEO Philip Pecora. “With an outstanding lineup of award-winning artists and the Lyric Theatre as the venue, GRB Blues Bash 2017 promises to be a fantastic opportunity for blues fans and music fans alike.”
GRB Mortgage is pleased to announce it is sponsoring a fundraiser to benefit our local service men and women. GRB Mortgage will donate $25 for every residential mortgage application taken in the month of May 2017 to the Veterans Outreach Center (VOC).
For those of you who may not be familiar with VOC, the organization was established in 1973 and provides comprehensive resources to current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families through direct service, community collaboration and advocacy. This includes providing a wide range of services such as benefits counseling, job training and placement, mentoring, legal resources, therapy services, housing assistance and much more.
You can learn more about VOC and follow their efforts at www.vocroc.org, on Twitter @VOCROC and on Facebook.
Check back on the GRB home page throughout the month of May to see our fundraising progress! If you are interested in a purchase or refinance, talk to our mortgage team.
Spread the word and we thank you in advance for your support of our local service men and women.
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.
As a small business lender, at GRB we know every small business has a story. We are highlighting our celebration of National Small Business Week by helping tell those stories with in-depth customer profiles on our Web site. We are proud that our customers are household names that provide vital services, jobs and support for our community.
Look for the accompanying campaign with the theme, “Spotlight on Small Business” in our social media channels.
Featured are:
Beers of the World
Book1One
Gerstner Medical
Crosby-Brownlie
Radio Social
More information on the week’s SBA-sponsored events can be found on the SBA Web site.
It seems like only yesterday that GRB moved its headquarters to the new building at 1850 South Winton Road. But it has been one year already and we took a few moments to celebrate with all of the employees who put in extra hours to make the move possible, and with those who have joined us since. The building is a sign of the bank’s growth — past and future. We are grateful for the wonderful employees, board members, partners and clients who helped make it all possible. Thank you!
We are pleased to announce that GRB has been named to the 2017 “Best Companies to Work for in New York” list. This is the fifth year that GRB has appeared on the “Best Companies” list in the small/medium size category. Rankings in the annual program are chosen based on employee responses to the engagement and satisfaction survey, as well as the employer-provided benefits and policies questionnaire. GRB ranked 35th this year. Thank you to our employees for their hard work and commitment to our clients. You are truly “The Best!”
Stacey MichaelsWednesday, April 12, 2017GRB Mortgage
Check out our YouTube channel for some new videos! You’ll find some great advice on securing a residential mortgage and information on working at — and with — GRB. The team put a tremendous amount of work into these videos and we hope you find them beneficial.
Don’t forget to “Subscribe” to our channel so you always get the latest updates on new videos posted by GRB. http://bit.ly/GRBYouTube
GRB is pleased to be one of 50 companies named to the list of Rochester “Top Workplaces” for 2017! This is the third year in a row that GRB has made the list. Thank you to all of our employees for making GRB a great place to work — every day. We are also pleased to see how many clients and partners also made the list. Congratulations to all!
