TrustCo Bank

Purchase of Schenectady Bank and General Electric

On February 17, 1902, the first trust company was chartered in Schenectady, formed through the purchase of the assets of the Schenectady Bank (c. 1832). As the credit union for General Electric Corporation, Schenectady Trust Company opened for business on June 9, 1902, with 11 employees, and initial deposits of $762,578.11. The original buildings resided at 320 and 318 State Street in downtown Schenectady, New York. Charles P. Steinmetz (the “Electrical Wizard”) of General Electric and Union College fame was a major depositor and Samuel M. Hamill of General Electric became the first President of the Schenectady Trust Company. Total deposits at the end of the bank's first year were over $1.5 million.

Schenectady Trust Company

By 1912, business in Schenectady, especially General Electric, was booming. As many new businesses emerged at a rapid rate, many of them received their earliest financing from Schenectady Trust Company. In 1919 Schenectady Trust Company built the structure that is now known as the Main Trustco Bank branch office at 320 State Street. Gerardus Smith was president of the bank at the close of 1912, and total assets were $4.5 million.

The Roaring Twenties

The Mont Pleasant branch office opened in 1924. In 1925, Proctor's Theatre, Erie Boulevard and the Western Gateway Bridge opened more culture, tourism and commerce to Schenectady. The third branch, the Brandywine office, was opened in 1928. In the late twenties Schenectady's building boom took place and Schenectady Trust provided mortgage loans. At the close of 1922, H.B. Boardman was President of the Bank, and total assets were $12.1 million.

The Depression and World War II

Even though the thirties saw the economy come to a virtual standstill, Schenectady Trust continued to pay out dividends to shareholders, making a consistent record of paying dividends since 1904. At the end of 1932, H.B. Boardman was still President of the Bank, and total assets were $16.7 million. The forties threw the nation into World War II, Schenectady Trust put plans in motion to provide direct auto financing for the increasing mobile population. By 1946, the Union Street Branch was open. At the end of 1942, Edward T. Rice was Chairman of the Board and Laurence G. Magner was President of the Bank; total assets were $34.9 million. In 1947, Schenectady Trust acquired Union National Bank, which opened in 1891. Modernization of the Main Branch and State Street Branch began.

Post War Era

In response to the 1954 opening of the New York State Thruway, Schenectady Trust expanded with branches into the suburbs to accommodate the growing population. By 1956, the Mayfair Branch office in Glenville and the Sheridan Plaza Branch office were opened. The Union Street Branch office was moved into its present location during the fifties. Ralph H. Rue was President of the bank at the end of 1952 and total assets were $74.2 million.

1960s

Though the local Schenectady economy began the decade with a slowdown, employment ended on an upswing at Schenectady Trust as they continued to grow with the community. Four more Branch offices were opened during the time: Rotterdam in 1965, the Trust Division in March 1968 and in June, 1968 Clifton Park and Plaza Seven were opened. In 1965, the financial computer center of Eastern New York was organized as a joint electronic data processing center by Schenectady Trust and eight other area banks. At the end of 1962, Ralph H. Rue was still President of the Bank, and total assets were $100.2 million.

1970s

In spite of inflation, the seventies showed growth in the Schenectady area—that growth was reflected in the Bank's services and prompted additional Branch office openings. New services were introduced during this period: Personal Line of Credit, Statement Savings and Bank Americard (now VISA). Along with the new services, new Branches were opened in Niskayuna, Colonie and Guilderland. In 1973 the Main Branch interior was again enlarged and renovated, and the lot at the rear of the bank (former location of Redmond gas station) was purchased for parking and allowed access to Erie Boulevard. Toward the very end of the seventies, additional properties on Erie Boulevard were purchased that would later become the Trust Operations Building. At the end of 1972, H. Gladstone McKeon was President of the Bank and total assets were $151 million.

1980s and Formation of TrustCo Bank Corp NY

The bank continued to expand in the 1980s as they extended to the entire Capital Region. In July 1982, TrustCo Bank Corp NY was formed and a new Operations Center opened on Erie Boulevard in 1982 to handle the acquisition of seven Bank of New York offices, which occurred in January 1984. Schenectady Trust Company was renamed Trustco Bank New York in January 1989.

The bank provides general commercial banking services to individuals, partnerships, corporations and governments of New York, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont. The Group provides commercial, construction, residential mortgage, home equity lines of credit and installment loans. It also accepts demand, savings, checking accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit from customers. Its commercial lending activities are focused on balancing the Company's commitment to meeting the credit needs of businesses in its market area with the necessity of managing its credit risk. Trustco Bank is a portfolio lender, which means it does not sell or trade any loans. Trustco Bank offers first and second mortgages, and has a full service commercial lending department. Recently, Trustco has added an electronic version of the monthly statement with images available online and free online banking via their internet site.

Recently added to their list of services are interest-bearing checking and free business checking, each having their own set of perks such as free checks and no minimum balances.

During 2007, 16 new branches were added. The Group operates 108 automatic teller machines and 107 banking offices in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster, Warren, Washington and Westchester.

In 2002, Trustco Bank branched out to central Florida, the first Florida branch having opened its doors in 2003 to customers in the Orlando area. They now have 51 branches in Florida in Brevard, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia counties.