Pioneer Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBFS) (“Pioneer”), a leading financial institution in New York’s Capital Region, today announced the appointment of James Murphy as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. As a member of Pioneer’s executive management team, Mr. Murphy will provide leadership and expertise in all aspects of commercial, residential and consumer credit, ensuring the overall quality of Pioneer’s lending portfolio.
An accomplished and respected executive with more than four decades of banking and leadership experience, Murphy most recently served as Chief Commercial Lending Officer at Community Bank.
“We are delighted to welcome Jim Murphy to the outstanding executive team at Pioneer,” said Pioneer President and CEO Tom Amell. “A recognized leader over more than 40 years in the banking industry, his expertise, experience and exceptional commitment to integrity and innovation will be significant assets in serving our valued clients and supporting the continued growth of Pioneer.”
Previously, Murphy held roles as Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer at National Union Bank of Kinderhook and NBT Bank; Senior Vice President and Credit Executive at JPMorgan Chase; and Vice President and Team Leader at Chase Manhattan.
Murphy replaces Robert Nichols, who has been with Pioneer since 2019 and is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Nichols will remain with Pioneer through August to ensure a seamless transition.
James Murphy
“I’m excited to join Pioneer, and to have the opportunity to collaborate with a talented team that is passionate about serving its customers and community,” said Murphy. “I have long admired Pioneer’s dedication to helping families, businesses and communities prosper, and am proud to be part of a forward-thinking organization that is well-positioned for smart and sustained growth.”
A resident of East Greenbush, Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Siena College and his MBA from Russell Sage College. Actively involved in the community, he is a board member of Pursuit Lending Corp., where he also serves on the loan and audit committee, and previously served as a board member of Catholic Charities, president of East Greenbush-Castleton Little League, and adjunct professor at Russell Sage College.
About Pioneer
As a leading financial institution in New York’s Capital Region, Pioneer is a one-stop shop for financial and business services for individuals, families, businesses and communities. With more than $2 billion in assets and 22 local branches, Pioneer is continually evolving to meet the needs of its customers by offering new products, services and leading technologies. Pioneer delivers a world-class working environment for its employees, evidenced by its recognition as a “Best Place to Work” by the Albany Business Review for 10 years running. Pioneer is committed to giving back to the communities it serves through the Pioneer Charitable Foundation, which has invested more than $1.2 million in hundreds of nonprofit organizations that are “Helping Kids be Kids.” For more information, please visit pioneerny.com.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the matters discussed in this communication constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs, such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” Pioneer’s ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. No assurance can be given that the future results covered by forward-looking statements will be achieved. These statements are based on the current expectations of our management, and it is important to note that our actual results could be materially different from those projected in such forward-looking statements. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including those discussed in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, under the heading “Risk Factors” and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication, unless noted otherwise. Except as required under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC, Pioneer does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.