SIMSBURY BANK PROMOTES BARBARA WALLACE & CRAIG PORTER
Simsbury Bank is pleased to announce that Barbara Wallace and Craig Porter have received officer promotions. Barbara Wallace, the Bank's Operations Officer, was promoted to Vice President and Craig Porter, the Bank's Information Systems Officer, was promoted to Assistant Vice President.
Howard R. Zern, Chief Retail Banking, Operations and Technology Officer, said, "Barbara and Craig have both served this institution very well during their long careers with us and have been integral to the design and implementation of many critical systems and process upgrades we have made over the years to continuously bring our customers the best in customer service and technology. We are pleased to recognize each of them for their superior performance with these promotions."
Ms. Wallace has been with the Bank since 1995 and during that time has served in several roles including Branch Manager of the Granby office and since 2001 as Operations Officer with responsibility for operations and all electronic banking. Mr. Porter has been with the Bank since 1998 and has led our Information Technology area, responsible for hardware, software and network management as well as IT risk management.
Ms. Wallace said, "I am thrilled that Bank management has chosen to recognize me with this honor. I enjoy the team we have built here and I am proud of the service we provide to our customers." Mr. Porter said, "I have been excited to work in a solidly growing institution with the opportunity to help shape the technology that we bring to our customers to serve them better. I thank Bank management for their confidence in me."
The Simsbury Bank & Trust Company is an independent, locally-controlled, customer-friendly commercial bank for businesses and consumers; the Bank has approximately $266 million in assets. The Bank serves customers through full-service offices in Simsbury, Avon, Bloomfield and Granby, and a Business Office in Canton, Connecticut, SBT Online Internet banking at simsburybank.com, free ATM transactions at 2,800 machines throughout the northeastern U.S. via the SUM program in addition to thousands of ATM locations world-wide, and 24 hour telephone banking. The Bank offers investment services through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SBT Investment Services, Inc. The stock of the Bank's parent company, SBT Bancorp, Inc., is traded over-the-counter under the ticker symbol of OTCBB: SBTB. Visit the Bank's website at www.simsburybank.com
Granby Office of Windsor Federal Savings Holds Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The Granby Office of Windsor Federal Savings held their Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 21 Hartford Avenue. In attendance were Granby First Selectman, John Adams; Town Manager, Bill Smith; Director of Community Development, Fran Armentano; Windsor Federal Savings Board Members, Bill Chiodo, Mike Rabbett, Brian Quagan; President, Mark Griffin and Branch Manager, Jim Matejek.
The office, which opened for business on October 5, 2009, is a full service bank offering free checking, free online banking and bill pay along with a variety of business services and loan products. This new branch is not only more energy-efficient, but also has two drive-up lanes, a much needed drive-up ATM, as well as more office space and a greater variety of safety deposit boxes. The office is open Monday – Wednesday 9 to 4; Thursday and Friday 9 to 6; and Saturdays 9 to1 2. The drive-up window opens at 7:30 am Monday through Saturday.
Windsor Federal Savings is a mutually chartered FDIC insured independent community bank founded in 1936 with five convenient offices located in Windsor, Granby and Bloomfield. Call 860-688-8511 for additional information or visit www.windsorfederal.com.
“Neighbors helping neighbors since 1936.”
Ask the Expert….
12 Tips for Winterizing Your Home From Bearingstar Insurance by Jon Rechenberg (agent)
Losses from winter storms have averaged in the billions annually for the past 20 years. Many winter-related disasters can be prevented if you take a few simple steps to protect your home from snow, wind and freezing temperatures.
Outside your home...
1. Remove debris from gutters, so melting snow and ice can flow freely to prevent ice dams- a condition where water can't drain through the gutters and seeps into the house instead, causing damage. Gutter guards keep debris out of gutters.
2. Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause weak trees or branches to break and cause damage to your home or car, as well as injury to people on your property.
3. Repair steps and handrails. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice.
4. Seal cracks in outside walls and foundations.
5. Use caulking to protect water pipes and make sure that skylights and other roof openings have proper weather stripping to prevent snowmelt from seeping in.
Inside Your Home...
1. Keep the house warm. Set the thermostat for at least 65 degrees, since the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are located, is substantially colder.
2. Add extra insulation. Heat escaping through the attic can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof which can result in a collapsed roof and can contribute to ice damming.
3. Have the heating system serviced. Furnaces, boilers and chimneys should be serviced at least once a year to prevent fire and smoke damage.
4. Check pipes. Look closely for cracks and leaks and have the pipes repaired immediately. Wrap exposed pipes with heating tape.
5. Install an emergency pressure release valve in your plumbing system. This will protect against the increased pressure caused by freezing pipes and can help prevent your pipes from bursting.
6. Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly. Also, consider installing a carbon dioxide detector.
7. Learn how to shut the water off and know where your pipes are located. If your pipes freeze, time is of the essence. The quicker you can shut off the water or direct your plumber to the problem, the better chance you have to prevent pipes from bursting.
8. Hire a licensed contractor to look for structural damage. If damage is discovered, have it repaired immediately rather than waiting for a problem to occur.
9. Check doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weather-stripping, and caulk any holes you see that allow heat to escape. Be sure doors seal properly.
10. Replace windows with newer, more efficient ones. Replacing windows can be expensive, but new windows also provide other benefits, such as improved appearance and comfort.
11. Wall plugs and switches can allow cold air in. Get simple-to-install, pre-cut foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate and effectively prevent leaks.
12. Close the damper on your fireplace. Of course the damper needs to be open if a fire is burning; but if the damper is open when you're not using the fireplace, your chimney functions as a large open window that draws warm air out of the room and creates a draft. Close that damper - it's an effective energy-saving tip that costs you nothing!
Jon Rechenberg| Insurance Protection Consultant | Bearingstar Insurance
HOME • AUTO • CONDO • BUSINESS • UMBRELLA LIABILITY • BOAT • FLOOD
161 Mountain Road, Suffield, CT 06078
phone: 860.668.7405 | cell: 860.416.6091 | fax: 860.668.8883
email: Jon.rechenberg@bearingstar.com
Freedom Candle Co November newsletter
Hello from beautiful uptown Granby Connecticut
First, some non-business stuff…. As you may know I’m a record collector and music enthusiast. Because of a friend at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Janeene & I get to travel there every so often and get to see some really great bands. Well last weekend was a "killer". We attended a rock hall concert at Madison Square Garden and saw everyone from Mick Jagger, U2, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dion and so many more. (Just had to brag) Stop in sometime and let’s talk records & music.
Now for the business stuff…
It seems (and we hope) that the downturn in the economy is beginning to ebb. Janeene and I thank you, our loyal customers & friends, for helping to get us thru the past year and a half. We are gearing up for the holiday season with high hopes and marathon candle pouring sessions. The Christmas inventory has been received and Janeene is stocking the shelves. As you know, we refuse to put Christmas stuff out in September as many stores do… But that’s just us!
Our traditional Thanksgiving scent of the month is ready for y’all…. Cranberry Cinnamon… A festive red color and a strong blend of flavors. As usual it’s 25% off both here at Freedom Central and on line at www.FreedomCandleCo.com.
Jerry & Janeene Crane
From L S Remodeling, LLC & Elizabeth Construction, LLC
EASY ENERGY SAVINGS AT HOME:
Typically 43% of your utility bills go toward heating & cooling. The best place to start saving energy is to look at the age & efficiency of your furnace & air conditioning & to keep up with basic maintenance such as cleaning the furnace & replacing filters in both the furnace & air conditioners.
Once you've determined if you need to update your equipment, think about the age of your appliances.
· A 10-year old refrigerator uses 2-3 times more electricity than new.
· A new washing machine may use 50% less water than an old unit.
*** Check energy usage labels & look for the Energy Star labels when buying appliances.
Some of the easiest energy saving projects around the home include:
· Wrapping an insulating blanket around your hot water heater.
· Putting your hot water heater on a timer to turn it off for a few hours at night.
· Replacing the rubber gasket on your garage doors.
· Adding insulation & a good seal to your pull-down attic door.
· Replacing wood exterior doors with fiberglass doors.
· Add insulation to your attic floor. R-39 is recommended in CT.
· Install a programmable thermostat to control your energy costs especially while you're not home.
· Close thermal curtains at night and on North side during the day.
· Don't install replacement windows without including low-e glass & argon gas for maximum efficiency.
· Add a beautiful & economical VELUX SUN TUNNEL or two in the darkest corners of your home.
In addition, consider having a professional energy audit including the use of thermal imaging to identify problem areas that are not visible to the naked eye. We recommend Cedar Hill Home Inspection who may be able to save you as much as 25% on your energy costs. www.CedarHillInspect.com
Includes detailed written report with photos & recommendations.
Check out this great Home Energy Saver website which walks you step-by-step through the different things you can do in your own home. Free, personalized results. www.hes.lbl.gov
*** 30% of the cost of weatherization & energy efficiency upgrades up to $1500 may be deducted from your Federal tax return for 2009 OR 2010 (not both).
Great Energy Saving Resources:
VELUX Skylights & SUN TUNNELS www.VeluxUSA.com
Home Energy Saver website www.hes.lbl.gov
Cedar Hill Home Inspections www.CedarHillInspect.com
Holloway's Appliance Center www.holloways.com
Energy Star (30% tax credit) www.EnergyStar.gov
L S Remodeling, LLC www.LSRem.com
Elizabeth Construction dba Eco Solar & Skylights www.Elizco.com
