GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank has announced the appointment of Thomas Meshako as the new president and CEO after the board of directors accepted John Howland’s resignation.

“I have been here for seven and half years. That’s longer than I had worked anywhere,” Howland said in a phone interview. “I accomplished what I set out to do. My wife and I are ready for our next challenge.”

Howland said he has no announcements yet regarding his next endeavor, but he hopes to announce something soon. Howland clarified that he isn’t planning to retire yet.

Meshako joined Greenfield Savings Bank in 2016 as treasurer and chief financial officer, and will also continue serving in those roles until his replacement is hired, according to the bank.

“I want to thank John Howland for his more than seven years as the head of the bank,” Meshako said in a statement. “John’s leadership and direction throughout the unprecedented time of the pandemic and his dedicated and genuine commitment to the communities we serve solidified the bank’s reputation as a community leader. We are grateful for his contributions to the bank and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

In reflecting on his time at Greenfield Savings Bank, Howland said the mandate with small local banks is often to “clean it out and sell it,” pointing out that mergers are frequent. Instead, Howland said he made the bank stronger and is ready to hand the reins over to Meshako.

Community has been the center of the bank’s mission, Howland said. He was able to triple the bank’s charitable contributions, and pointed to Greenfield Savings Bank’s “outstanding” rating in its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) score as proof of this accomplishment. Banks receive one of four CRA ratings from federal agencies, with Greenfield Savings Banks receiving the highest rating.

When asked about a memory he will hold onto from his time as president and CEO, Howland recounted working for 40 straight days, including weekends, during the onset of the pandemic. During that time, he tried to “get as much money into the valley as I could with PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans.”

“We forged a lot of great relationships during that time,” he said. “I will always look back on it.”

Howland joined the bank in 2015. The Greenfield resident serves on the board of directors for GCET, a community-owned technology company. According to GCET’s website, Howland was previously president of The First Bank of Greenwich in Connecticut and president of The Bank of Southern Connecticut in New Haven.

According to Greenfield Savings Bank, Meshako and his wife, Mary Ann, live in Greenfield and have three adult daughters. Meshako reportedly has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry in New England.

Founded in 1869, Greenfield Savings Bank has branches in Greenfield, Amherst, Conway, Hadley, Northampton, Shelburne Falls, South Deerfield and Turners Falls.

“Being at an organization like this is a great honor,” Howland said.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262. Reach Bella Levavi at: blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.

]]>