Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> December 3, 2002
GEORGE STRAYTON is President and Chief Executive Officer of
Provident Bank, Inc., a full service community bank with assets
over $1 billion, headquartered in Montebello, New York. Provident
Bank, founded in 1888, provides a wide array of financial
products and services to individuals and businesses. Mr.
Strayton joined Provident Bank in 1982 and was named President
and CEO in 1986. He has been President and CEO of Provident
Bancorp, Inc., a mutual holding company since its formation in
1999. He has had an extensive banking career, spending 18 years
at Bankers Trust Company New York as a commercial banker and loan
officer prior to joining Provident Bank. The last three of those
18 years he served Bankers Trust Company Hudson Valley as Senior
Vice President and the bank's regional executive in charge of the
Rockland County Region. During his tenure at Provident Bank, the
bank has increased from six branches with assets of $288 million
to 17 branches with $1 billion in assets serving both Rockland
and Orange Counties. Under his leadership, in 1999 the bank
formed a mutual holding company and converted to stock ownership.
Recent new product introductions include a full complement of
electronic delivery services such as ATMs, Telephone Bill Pay,
Internet Banking, Internet Bill Pay and an Internet Cash
Management System for businesses. In addition, Investment
Management and Trust Services were introduced, making Provident
the only bank with Investment Management and Trust Services based
in Rockland. Mr. Strayton currently serves as the Chairman of St.
Thomas Aquinas College (a liberal arts college located in
Sparkill, New York) and the Rockland Business Association (a 550
member organization). He is currently a Director and Chair of the
Executive Committee of the Community Bankers Association and
serves as a Director of Orange & Rockland Utilities. Mr.
Strayton's career also includes six years as a Board Director for
the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and chairmanship of the
Community Bankers Association of New York State. Mr. Strayton,
who with his wife Victoria, and their three children, George,
David and Marianne, has been a long time resident of Valley
Cottage and has been involved in many community organizations. He
has served as a Trustee of Nyack Hospital, Chairman of the Board
for The United Way, and Chairman for the Boy Scouts of Rockland
County. Mr. Strayton has also served on the Board of Directors of
Jawonio and the Historical Society of Rockland County. He was
Trustee of St. Paul's Church in Congers and is the Past Grand
Knight of Pope John XXIII Council, Knights of Columbus, in
Congers, Valley Cottage and Rockland Lake. He received his BBA
from Pace University. He also received an executive award from
the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management at Amos
Tuck School at Dartmouth. Profile
Bancorp and a picture of things as they are now?
Mr. Strayton: Provident started in 1888 as a mutual savings and
loan, and in
