Trust isn’t created overnight, but something you earn over time through consistency, accountability, and the relationships you build. That’s especially true here in the Hudson Valley, where relationships still matter. At Sawyer Savings Bank, that belief has guided us for generations, and it continues to shape how we support our customers every day. Sawyer Savings Bank is a brand built on stability, responsibility, and community, and we take pride in protecting that reputation through every decision we make.
As we look ahead to 2026, Sawyer Savings Bank will celebrate 155 years of service, a milestone that fills us with pride, but also with responsibility. A bank doesn’t reach 155 years by chance. It reaches that kind of longevity by staying focused on what matters: doing the right thing, earning trust through steady service, and showing up for the community year after year. We’re grateful that so many individuals, families, and businesses continue to choose Sawyer Savings, including families who have banked with us for generations, as well as new customers looking for a community bank they can rely on.
Our longevity has been achieved by maintaining a singular focus: strengthening our relationship-based model, the customer-first foundation that has always been at the core of Sawyer Savings Bank. While the banking industry continues to evolve, our approach remains grounded in something simple: getting to know our customers, understanding their goals, and being the kind of bank people can turn to not only in good times, but also when they need clarity and guidance.
In 2025, we continued to strengthen that foundation in several important ways:
Digital Wallet
Launched last year, Sawyer Savings Bank’s Digital Wallet gives customers a secure, convenient way to pay while maintaining the safety and reliability they expect from a community bank. Customers can add their Sawyer debit card to a mobile wallet and make purchases quickly in-store, online, or in-app. It also adds an extra layer of protection by using secure technology that helps keep card information private and is a meaningful step forward in offering modern tools that support everyday banking with confidence.
Digital Banking
Sawyer Savings Bank’s Digital Banking has been a dependable part of how customers manage everyday banking basics for several years, providing secure access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers can check balances, review transactions, transfer funds, make payments, and manage routine banking needs with ease, all from a computer or mobile device. Digital Banking also supports greater peace of mind through account alerts and monitoring features that help customers stay informed and in control. It is an important part of how we continue to combine trusted local banking, strong customer relationships, and the convenience customers want today.
Customer First Approach
Further, we placed a renewed emphasis on promoting service-based cross-selling, not as a pressure-driven exercise, but to ensure customers are aware of the tools and resources that can help them manage their finances more effectively. In a community bank, the best “sales” isn’t really sales at all, it’s meeting our customers’ expectations. It’s listening carefully, asking the right questions, and making sure each customer has the financial products and support that support their long-term financial wellbeing.
Deposit Growth
Alongside that work, we remained committed to deposit growth, which is essential to stability for any community bank. Deposits represent more than numbers on a balance sheet, they represent trust. Customers choose to place confidence in our institution and our people, and that trust strengthens the foundation that allows us to lend responsibly. Deposit growth also supports long-term performance ensuring we remain resilient and well positioned across changing economic conditions, and able to protect the strength of the bank through every cycle.
We remain dedicated to the values and standards that have always defined Sawyer Savings Bank. In today’s competitive environment, it can be tempting to focus on volume. Our philosophy is different. We want to grow relationships, not simply conduct financial transactions. That means taking time to understand what customers truly need and focusing on long-term financial wellbeing.
We also stay focused on financial products and support for both our customers and our employees. Stability requires strong systems, strong safeguards, and a strong team. Customers expect convenience and access, but they also want peace of mind. They want to know their bank is secure, and that when they have a question or concern, someone will answer it with care.
As we approach our 155th year, we are committed to the principles that brought us here: stability, responsibility, and community. We will continue to strengthen the relationships that define our bank, support the people and businesses that define our region, and earn your trust.
Best regards,
James Whitaker
President & CEO