Building a stronger local bank
A message from Ira Robbins
President & CEO of Valley Bank
This week, we officially finalized our merger with Oritani Bank. While our full systems integration is a couple of months from completion, we’re still incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead as we form one organization as Valley Bank.
If you’re thinking, bank mergers happen all the time—what makes this one special? I want to take a moment to tell you.
You’re right that in today’s economic environment, banks are merging more than ever before. Some of them even garner national media attention. But that media attention is often focused on the regulatory and market impacts of their merger. The media rarely focuses on the impact to the local community—the people and businesses that have come to rely on one of those financial institutions.
That’s not how we see it.
From day one when we decided to come together as one organization, our focus has been on the impact to our local communities. As of today, I want to personally let the more than 80,000 new Valley customers know that the same trusted support you’ve come to rely on from Oritani won’t change. In fact, we’re going help take your banking experience to the next level.
We know that local banks are the lifeblood of our communities. We provide jobs, funding for small businesses, and investments to support community initiatives. Together as one organization, we’re going to be able to provide for our communities services the big banks offer but with the local relationships and connections of a community bank. It’s what sets Valley apart and what makes the coming together of our two organizations so special.
We’re incredibly grateful to be a part of so many amazing, diverse communities in New Jersey. Although Valley has always had a presence in Bergen County, Oritani has had a significant impact on many communities within the county—and we’re not going to change that. Sure, the signs will change, the technology will improve, the products and services will expand, but the heart and soul of Oritani will remain—because we share the same values.
So, while our merger might not make national headlines, local banks – like Valley and Oritani – are woven into the fabric of local communities. When we come together, we can have a great impact on our communities. Let the national media pick up that story. And if they won’t, that’s okay. Starting today, we’ll tell that story together.
Embracing more than 90 years of history
Welcome to Valley
Valley is one of the most trusted and respected banks in the industry. For nearly a century, we've driven success in our communities by delivering solutions to local people and businesses.