Community Bank to build central operations center
Ralph Sommers Jr., left, chairman of Community Bank, and CEO Pat McCune display a sign for the bank’s new operations center that honors Sommers’ longtime leadership at the Carmichaels-based bank.
Community Bank rendering of the Ralph J. Sommers Jr. Operations Center
WAYNESBURG – The back-office operations of Community Bank took a big step forward Wednesday with the announcement of a multimillion-dollar, 22,500-square-foot consolidated operations center to be built in EverGreene Technology Park in Franklin Township.
During brief groundbreaking ceremonies and a luncheon, Community Bank Chief Executive Officer Pat McCune said the center, which he described as “a multi-million-dollar investment,” is being constructed on 4.5 acres, will consolidate the operations from several different facilities and will be the new home to about 70 bank employees.
During a luncheon at the National Guard Armory in EverGreene Technology Park, McCune also announced the new center will be named the Ralph J. Sommers Jr. Operations Center to honor Sommers, who began working in the banking industry in 1960, and joined Community Bank’s predecessor, the former First National Bank of Carmichaels, in 1980. He became its CEO four years later, serving in that capacity for 24 years.
The new center comes at a time when the 115-year-old bank is growing. In October 2014, it merged with Monessen-based First Federal Savings Bank, creating a bank with 16 branches in five counties.
Today, the bank has just under 200 employees.
When it was started in 1901, McCune said, it had $25,000 in capital. Today, it has $830 million in assets, with $83 million in equity capital.
“Today, the bank is stronger than ever,” he told an audience of bank employees, board members, county and municipal officials. He said later the publicly held, independent bank has received many industry honors for performance, safety and security, community service, employment and management.
“This center will consolidate many back-room functions with the latest technology.” The center, which will include the bank’s computer and backup operations, which are responsible for its retail and commercial banking functions, as well as its automated teller network, insurance and wealth-management services.
The announcement of its name came as a surprise to Sommers, whose family attended Wednesday’s ceremonies.
“Ralph is the soul of this bank,” McCune said. “He created its culture and (gave) it a sense of mission and dedication.”
McCune said the operations center will open in about a year.