First County Bank

This week, Foundation Friday is dedicated to FAIRFIELD COUNTY HOSPICE HOUSE INC and Bridgeport Rescue Mission. These outstanding organizations are 2024 recipients of First County Bank Foundation's Annual CommunityFirst Grant Program. Congratulations to both of these local nonprofits!

First County Bank’s Commercial Banking Officer John Dowling presented a donation to David Lopiano, Executive Director of Retrain to Walk, during their recent “Golf to Walk” fundraising event. The Norwalk-based nonprofit focuses on improving the lives of people with disabilities through its fitness center which is exclusively designed for individuals living with paralysis and similar neurological disorders. The donation provided will help support financing costs for the facility’s equipment. To learn more about Retrain to Walk, visit their website: Retraintowalk.com

Bank News: First County Advisors, the Wealth Management division of First County Bank, welcomes Owen Anastasia, CFA, as Trust and Investment Officer. Anastasia has extensive experience with multi-asset class portfolio management and will focus on assisting his clients with identifying and implementing investment strategies that align with their financial objectives. “We are pleased to welcome Owen to the First County Advisors team as he brings with him a great depth of knowledge and extensive experience in wealth management,” said Scott Kapusta, JD, MBA, Head of Wealth Management for First County Advisors. “Owen has his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations, which will assist in further enabling First County Advisors to provide the highest levels of targeted financial advice and dedicated service to all our clients”.  Wealth management products and services are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits, and may lose value. 

Highlighted in this edition of Foundation Friday are two more incredible local nonprofits – Stamford Senior Center and Mill River Park Collaborative. These organizations are 2024 recipients of First County Bank Foundation’s Annual CommunityFirst Grant Program. Join us in congratulating them both!

We would like to give a special thank you to the young architects behind the development of our first-ever First County Bank Gingerbread House, complete with a two-lane drive-up. Stop by our New Canaan branch to view the sweet craftsmanship of our Gingerbread House, which will be on display from now through Christmas, as part of “New Canaan for the Holidays Gingerbread House Tour” presented by the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce. 

Although it was a crisp, chilly morning, it didn’t stop the runners of First County Bank from showing up to support Greenwich Alliance for Education's annual Turkey Trot 5K, which ran through Bruce Park in Greenwich. Members of our Electronic Services, Residential Lending, and Branch teams layered up to support this 5K, which had over 1,600 participants raising $90,000 to support the programming and services that foster success for Greenwich Public School students.   For more information on Greenwich Alliance for Education and the impact of their programs, visit their website: https://lnkd.in/euKX5w8k

First County Bank proudly sponsored Building Neighborhoods Together Annual Benefit Gala, with the theme of this year’s event being “Building Financial Futures”. First County Bank’s Fairfield Branch Managers and members of our Mortgage Origination team were in attendance. “It’s heartwarming to see the commitment of BNT, which was established in 1986, developing an affordable housing counseling throughout Connecticut,” said Ben Peter, MBA, First County Bank’s Fairfield Branch Manager. “I am genuinely grateful that First County Bank supports such meaningful initiatives, and it's inspiring to see our team members actively participating in this event. Our dedication to the communities we serve is truly reflected here.” 📸: Mark Prior, Senior Mortgage Banking Officer – First County Bank, Ben Peter, MBA, Fairfield Branch Manager- First County Bank, Doris Latorre, MBA – CEO of Building Neighborhoods Together, Anna Chmarzynska, Fairfield Assistant Branch Manager – First County Bank, and Justyna Nurczyk, Mortgage Loan Originator – First County Bank. 

Our Commercial Banking Officers Greg Pastor and Brad Lupinacci had the privilege of representing First County Bank at the Connecticut Small Business Development Center's Lender Expo at Connecticut State Community College. “I had a wonderful time meeting with small business owners who are in various stages of developing their business,” said Greg Pastor.  “This event presented an opportunity for Brad and myself to engage with these business owners, listening to their stories while helping them navigate financial assistance programs and other services provided by the SBA.” 📸: Catherine Marx - SBA Connecticut District Director, Greg Pastor, Vice President & Commercial Banking Officer-First County Bank, Sylina Jacobs, Outreach & Marketing Specialist- Connecticut District Office, and Brad Lupinacci, Vice President & Commercial Banking Officer, First County Bank

This edition of Foundation Friday highlights two outstanding local nonprofits – THE TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF GREENWICH INC, and NORWALK HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC. These two organizations are recipients of First County Bank Foundation’s Annual CommunityFirst Grant Program. Congrats to you both!

Last Saturday, First County Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer Lynn Long and Chief Retail Banking Officer Thomas Berta volunteered at the Norwalk Community Health Center during their Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution day. Volunteers handed out Turkeys, farm-fresh produce, and nonperishable items so that 200 families could have a holiday meal this Thanksgiving. “It was truly rewarding to volunteer and be part of such a well-organized effort to provide Thanksgiving meals to families throughout our community,” said Lynn Long, CMO for First County Bank. “It’s inspiring to see how we can come together to support those in need, and how a small act of kindness can make such a difference in someone’s life.” To make this year’s distribution day a success, donations were provided by MBI and Gazy Brothers Farm1918. 📸 : Lynn Long, Chief Marketing Officer – First County Bank (L), Adriana Fields- NCHC Board Member, Tom Berta, Chief Retail Banking Officer – First County Bank, Ken Waller, CEO – NCHC, and Betty Cordellos, Director of Development and Communications – NCHC (R).