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For business owners, a strong relationship with the right bank can make all the difference in their success. No matter what a company faces, from sudden losses of revenue to the need to expand facilities, their banking partner must always be on-call and ready to step in with the appropriate solutions to help them grow and thrive.

In Syracuse, New York, Armoured One, which offers solutions and education for active shooter situations, is currently feeling quite grateful for its decision to choose Pathfinder Bank in August 2018. The company was founded in 2012 as a response to the Sandy Hook school shooting and provides facilities the defenses needed to save lives should the unspeakable occur at their location.

While its products and services are in high demand, Tino Amodei, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Armoured One, credits the company’s success to the partnerships it has leveraged over the past near-decade, with one of the most valuable being with Pathfinder Bank.

“Especially being a startup, we’re still in the infancy stages of growing and getting into the growth stages of our business. Pathfinder Bank really focuses on the character of who you are as a company – that’s what we need,” says Amodei. “We need somebody who’s going to judge us on character and what we do – not on the financial statement.”

Growing through Obstacles with the Right Bank

When Armoured One first sought out banking partners, Amodei and his team knew that almost every financial institution seeks to support companies with high potential and low risk, among other factors. However, its experience with Pathfinder Bank was different from the start – the bank was focused on launching a new partnership by getting Armoured One the capital and networking opportunities it required and building a strong relationship based on trust.

“We’ve been in business for the last eight years, and we’ve had a couple of different banks throughout that time. What has made Pathfinder Bank so important for us, as a small business, is that they sit down with you and figure out how to make it work. It’s not a yes or no, transactional type of relationship,” says Amodei. “It’s never, ‘You have to do this before we can sit down and talk with you.’ It’s always, ‘Come on in. We’re going to work with you and make it happen.’”

Amodei goes on to explain that through the stresses of daily business, Armoured One never has to worry about its decision to partner with Pathfinder Bank. “Having a bank that will always back us – that is not stressful for once, and it has not been stressful since the day we finally started working with them,” he says. “Pathfinder Bank is a partner in your back pocket that is going to help you get there. If they were not our partner, I think we’d find ourselves being two years behind where we need to be today.”

Tom Czyz, CEO and Co-Founder of Armoured One, couldn’t agree more, especially given what the company faced during the pandemic. “When COVID-19 hit and the economy was shut down, my biggest concerns were our employees and customers,” he says.

Not only did the company worry about how it would continue to pay its employees and keep people safe against active shooter situations, but it also saw an opportunity to utilize its state-of-the-art film technology to begin producing face and neck shields for first responders, medical personnel, and other essential workers. To carry out this goal, Armoured One needed to apply for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. This, of course, was something that Pathfinder Bank was more than ready to assist the company with.

“Our experience applying for the PPP loan was incredible – Pathfinder Bank answered emails and calls from us, no matter the time of night, or on the weekends,” Czyz recalls. “Knowing that we have secured the money to get production and training back up and running was life-changing – the first thought that crossed my mind was, ‘Thank you, God, for a bank that treats us like family!’”

“Pathfinder Bank will help you out during the times that you don’t think someone is going to,” adds Amodei. “They are a team of mentors that can help you on the financial side and have the expertise to answer questions that you’re not going to find in a typical bank.”

Why Central New York Businesses Trust Pathfinder Bank

This is just one example of how critical it is to choose the right business banking partner. Not only can Pathfinder Bank see companies like Armoured One through challenges like COVID-19, but it is also at their side from the day their business begins to later opportunities for growth.

Why should other area businesses choose Pathfinder Bank for their checking, savings, and lending needs? For one, Pathfinder Bank boasts over 150 years of experience in serving companies throughout Central New York. This not only means that clients can access its local decision-makers and robust network, but Pathfinder Bank’s team also applies their knowledge of living, working, and playing in the region when helping businesses make the best financial decisions for their future.  

With this hyper-focused local approach, Pathfinder Bank’s business banking members also enjoy top-notch customer service and the convenience of partnering with a full-service financial institution. No matter what a company’s needs are today, tomorrow, and in the future, the bank promises to support its customers/clients and keep its investments within the Central New York community. For many business owners, this makes Pathfinder Bank an attractive choice, as it offers all of the services of large, national banks yet makes all decisions with local communities top of mind.

To learn more, contact Pathfinder Bank today.