Dec 4, 2018 6 min read

First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Greene County recently named Charles W. Trump Jr. CEO of the Association. Judi Goodwin Tanner, who has served as First Federal of Greene County’s president/CEO since 2012, will remain as president until her retirement in April 2020. The changes were announced during the Association’s Jan. 23 annual meeting of members.

Currently board secretary, Trump was previously named executive vice president/secretary in January 2017 after serving as a vice president for seven years and overseeing the areas of deposit operations, marketing and security. Trump joined the Association in 1999 as a loan officer at First Greene Service Corporation in Morgantown, W.Va. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Waynesburg University, where he serves on the Alumni Council. Trump is also active in the Fairchance Exchange Club and on the boards of Rotary Club of Waynesburg, Salvation Army of Greene County and Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging. He is a junior high Sunday School teacher and member of the men’s ministry at Abundant Life Church in Uniontown. Trump and his wife, Shelly, reside in Fairchance and have two daughters, Elizabeth and Kimberly, and a son-in-law, Luke.

Also during the Association’s annual meeting, directors Gregory A. Parsons, Jay S. Hammers and Tanner were re-elected to three-year terms on the board. Other directors include Chairman John E. Mariner, Henry T. Cochran, Murray W. Hoy and Stephen M. Neubauer. James L. Brewer and Scott S. O’Neil serve as directors emeritus.

In addition to Tanner and Trump, the following Association officers were re-elected: Chad M. Moore, senior vice president/treasurer; Barbara L. Galica, vice president; Cynthia A. Crouse, vice president; Jeffrey B. Widdup, vice president; Courtney A. Schroyer, vice president/chief financial officer; Danielle R. Tobusto, assistant secretary/assistant treasurer; Kathleen M. Toth, assistant secretary; and Terry L. Clutter, assistant treasurer.

As part of the annual meeting, First Federal of Greene County announced that it had reached $917 million in assets, an all-time high in the Association’s 95-year history. After four rate increases by the Federal Reserve in 2018, the Association realized increases in its deposit rates after almost 10 years of nearly flat rates. Year-end deposits increased by 2.7 percent to $778 million.

In 2018, the Association closed $85 million in loans, increasing its net outstanding loans by nearly $5 million to $627 million. New purchase and construction loans increased as refinancing loans decreased, a trend predicted to continue given market rate increases. The Association also renewed its focus on combining consumer expectations with new technology relative to loan applications.

“A lot of work was done on a new mortgage origination system during 2018,” Tanner noted in her President’s report. “It is the hope that this will streamline the application and closing process.”

First Federal of Greene County’s mobile app has seen several new product features added during the past couple of years that also capitalize on users’ desires for security and convenience.

One of the most significant product features incorporated recently is CardValet, which allows a user to turn off lost or stolen cards and manage individual card limits for any debit card associated with the user’s account. The three types of card limits include blocking transactions and ATM withdrawals greater than a set amount; blocking transactions at locations outside a selected geographical area; and blocking transactions at certain types of merchants.

The CardValet features give users a simple and quick way to control their transactions and help protect their accounts from possible fraud.

Two other app features utilize a smartphone camera to save the user time and streamline typical banking activities.

Bill Capture converts a photo of a paper bill to an electronic bill that can then be paid from the app, and Mobile Deposit allows users to take photos of the front and back of an endorsed check and choose the account for deposit.

For enhanced security, Fingerprint Login allows users to sign in to the app with any fingerprint saved on their device, and not by password. Fingerprint Login supports Android biometric login and Apple Touch ID.

And without even signing in, users can instantly check their account balances by tapping the Instant Balance button on the login page. Up to six accounts can be previewed on the Instant Balance screen.

Within the app, users can also set up contacts to pay on a one-time or recurring basis and review recent payment history, as well as transfer funds between their own accounts and view any transfers scheduled within the next 30 days.

Finally, users can view the locations of First Federal of Greene County offices and ATMs within the mobile app.

First Federal of Greene County account holders who wish to access mobile banking should first enroll in online banking. Online and mobile banking is not available for certain fiduciary accounts. The First Federal of Greene County app is available for download on Apple, Android and Amazon devices.

As technology evolves, so unfortunately do cybersecurity and fraud issues. Employees and customers must remain informed and vigilant, Tanner stated in her President’s Report, with everything from using the internet and their bank cards to answering phone calls.

First Federal of Greene County’s presence in the region continues to be strong and long-lasting. Two of the Association’s nine offices celebrated milestone anniversaries in 2018. The Downtown Uniontown office marked 60 years of operating in Fayette County, while First Greene Service Corporation celebrated its 30th anniversary of making home loans in Morgantown, W.Va., and the surrounding counties.

Due to its enduring stability, First Federal of Greene County was once again awarded the prestigious Bauer Financial 5-Star Rating. This superior rating has been awarded to the Association for the past 122 quarters. The rating is based on the Association’s capital level, asset quality, historical trends and loan delinquencies, among other factors.

“The Association is in a strong capital position entering 2019 and stands ready to continue serving our existing customers and the next generation,” Tanner reported. “Thank you to all the employees, officers and directors as we move forward and continue to be ‘The People You Know, The People You Can Trust.’ Also thank you to our many loyal customers. First Federal of Greene County would not be here if it were not for you.”

Since 1924, First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Greene County has served the residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania through a combination of traditional deposit and loan products and evolving technological convenience. From checking and savings accounts to mortgage and home equity loans, from online bill pay to mobile banking, First Federal of Greene County offers a variety of services to its customers, all while remaining committed to being “The People You Know, The People You Can Trust.” Based in Waynesburg, Pa., First Federal of Greene County maintains eight offices in Greene, Fayette and Washington counties in Pennsylvania, and a loan origination subsidiary, First Greene Service Corporation, in Morgantown, W.Va. For more information, visit www.firstfederalofgreene.com.