What sets a bank apart from its competitors? “First and foremost, extraordinary customer service, delivered in a very personal way, by highly experienced bankers,” answers Padi Selwyn, senior vice president and director of marketing and public relations for Exchange Bank.
Voted Best Business Bank by NorthBay biz readers for the third year in a row, Exchange Bank attributes its success to the aforementioned customer service, as well as “convenience and commitment to community involvement,” says Selwyn.
An independent, locally owned financial institution, Exchange Bank has managed to achieve financial success while embodying traditional community values that help it stand out from the myriad national banks that also serve the North Bay. “We have a very seasoned team here to serve businesses, and our customers value our knowledge and expertise, combined with great products and service,” continues Selwyn. “With all the mergers and acquisitions in the banking industry, the business community appreciates our stability and longevity—118 years this year.”
Many of Exchange Bank’s philanthropic efforts are well-known. For example, the bank’s Frank P. Doyle and Polly O’Meara Doyle Scholarship Fund, created with the dividends of a perpetual trust as directed by the bank’s co-founder Frank Doyle, has, since 1950, awarded more than 115,000 scholarships worth more than $76 million to students attending Santa Rosa Junior College. “Plus, we support a long list of local nonprofits not only with our donations but through the hands-on involvement of our employees,” explains Selwyn. “We’re truly a community bank.”
The bank’s stated mission is to be a “premier community bank based upon superior financial performance, excellence in customer service and commitment to our community and employees.” With 26 branches throughout Sonoma and Placer counties and complete banking services for both personal and business accounts, Exchange Bank is the choice of more than 80,000 customers, many of whom are drawn by the bank’s local roots. Observes Selwyn, “An independent local bank that’s served generations of people in Sonoma County is very unique!”
In addition to the honors bestowed by NorthBay biz readers, Exchange Bank has received recognition from various other community institutions, including Best Local Bank, Best Place to Work, Best Company to do Business With, and the Business Environmental Alliance Best Practices Award. Not content to rest on its laurels, however, Exchange Bank strives for continued growth and improvement, seeking additional ways to provide a first-rate customer experience. This past year, the bank upgraded its website with a new design and some new features, and extended its hours in most branch locations. The logo and bank signage have a fresh new look, recast in a blue and orange palette “to increase visibility and be more distinctive,” says Selwyn.
”Our goal is to be the most convenient, service-oriented bank to do business with,” she continues. “We’re looking forward to bringing on board many businesses this year who are ready for a long-term, stable banking relationship.”
