Congratulations to Phil Pecora
We are proud to announce that GRB President and CEO Philip L. Pecora was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s Power 100 List for 2025. The Power 100 recognizes community leaders making a positive impact on the Greater Rochester region.
Leadership in the Region
According to RBJ Associate Editor and Publisher Ben Jacobs, “As with last year, the mix of industries represented is no surprise.
“The health care industry and the nonprofit sector, which are heavily intertwined in Rochester, have faced significant challenges over the past four years and many leaders from these areas appear on this list.
“We are optimistic that the people and organizations listed here will play a large role in helping Rochester continue to move forward and grow into the best community it can be.”
Looking Back on 2024
Responding to the RBJ’s questions, Pecora noted the banking industry began to normalize as compared to the prior two years, as well as interest rates, allowing for more stable funding costs and improved net interest margin. But he also acknowledged the historically low inventory in the housing market, creating a continued headwind for mortgage originations. Despite the challenge, GRB’s originations were up 10% over 2023.
“As a community bank headquartered and focused primarily on serving the Greater Rochester area, our hometown has and always will play a significant role in our growth,” said Pecora.
When asked about the role technology plays within the banking industry, Pecora reinforced the importance of incorporating technology into the bank’s day-to-day, but that GRB still holds true to its foundation of personalized service. “At GRB we view technology as a means to leverage the high degree of personal service that we provide our clients — not a substitute,” said Pecora.
GRB’s Growth
GRB was established by Founders E. Philip Saunders and partner Dan Gullace in 1996. Their goal was to re-establish a community bank presence and grow small business in the Rochester area. Since that time the bank has continued on a consistent growth path with more than a billion dollars in assets.
Under Pecora’s leadership, GRB has grown to more than $1 billion in assets and provided services to the communities of Central and Western New York. Last fall, GRB earned a Gold Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration for its small business lending activities.
We are proud of GRB’s community commitment and proud to have Pecora’s efforts recognized as part of the Power 100.
Read more on Phil’s Power 100 profile on the RBJ website.
Congratulations!
