Dan Santaniello, Fidelity Bank president, and Angelo DeCesaris, bank vice president and commercial banking relationship manager, hold a $47,000 check the bank donated to Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
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Fidelity Bank employees Ruth Turkington, chief consumer banking officer; Michelle Carr, director of retail banking; and Becky Bell, director of retail lending, gather at Thursday’s ribbon cutting ceremony.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
Dan Santaniello, Fidelity Bank president; Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce president; and Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown pose with other members of the Fidelity staff during a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday at Fidelity Bank in Wilkes-Barre to celebrate the opening of the bank’s newest branch.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Fidelity Bank held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday at its newest branch location on North Franklin Street to celebrate its expansion into the Diamond City.
The branch first opened in October 2023 and marked the eighth Fidelity Bank location in Luzerne County and the 21 location overall.
Fidelity Bank staff, community business leaders and members of both county and city council were present, as well as Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, who said he was happy to officially welcome the business to the downtown area.
“We’re looking forward to the future and working together with the staff to improve the city,” he said.
Attendees enjoyed drinks and finger foods in the lobby area of the bank that was renovated prior to the its opening last fall.
“It’s been really great,” said Branch Manager Bryanne Salvo. “I’m newer to the area so I’ve been enjoying getting to meet everyone. The community is wonderful.”
Fidelity President Dan Santaniello said having a location in Wilkes-Barre is important to the business because the city is “the nucleus” of Luzerne County, as well as its driving force of economic development.
“We’ve made a big commitment here and not only is this a branch, but it’s really our Luzerne County headquarters that houses our commercial lending team as well as our mortgage lending team,” Santaniello explained.
To get a head start on its commitment to strengthen the city, Fidelity Bank on Thursday presented a check in the amount $47,000 to the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA, which Santaniello said is “one of the pillars in the downtown community.”
He also announced that the bank plans to hold a contest to award a $10,000 grant to the nonprofit that comes up with the best idea for how to grow the downtown area.
More information on that contest will be announced at a later date.