Rhinebeck Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of Rhinebeck Bancorp, Inc., has expanded its presence in New York’s Capital District with a new Commercial Lending office in the Albany, NY, market.

The new office provides Capital District businesses with a wide array of lending products and services, including commercial mortgages, construction loans, vehicle and equipment loans, and commercial lines of credit. This expansion will complement Rhinebeck Bank's existing indirect automobile lending offerings in the region.

"In recent years, the Bank has seen a steady demand for commercial lending in the Capital District," said Rhinebeck Bank President and CEO Michael J. Quinn. "We look forward to providing businesses in the area with the superior customer experience that has been our hallmark throughout the Hudson Valley."

Quinn said Philip Bronzi, the Bank's newly appointed Chief Lending Officer, will oversee the new Albany market's Commercial Lending team.

As part of this expansion, the Bank will add three Commercial Lending professionals to its Albany office:

• Bob Bazargan – Senior Vice President, Commercial Team Leader – Capital Markets: A 10-year Albany resident with Hudson Valley roots, Bazargan is an experienced and well-respected commercial banker in the Albany and Saratoga markets. He holds an MBA in Finance from SUNY at New Paltz and is fluent in Farsi. He brings a superior record of performance to his new role and will lead the Commercial Lending Team in Albany.
• Ken Zwicklbauer – SVP, Commercial Lender: Zwicklbauer is also a long-time commercial banker with deep roots in the Albany market. He holds an MBA in Finance from SUNY at Albany. He joins Rhinebeck Bank with a record of strong sales performance and key contributions to the greater Albany community. Zwicklbauer was recognized as a 40 Under Forty honoree by the Albany Business Review.
• Raj Kaur – AVP, Commercial Lender: Kaur joins the Bank with more than 15 years of banking experience and a history of high achievement. She holds her MBA in Accounting & Business Administration from SUNY at Albany and is fluent in Punjabi and Hindi. During her career, Kaur has provided exceptional customer service and extensive knowledge of banking products and services, attributes that will serve her customers well in her new role at Rhinebeck Bank.

Bronzi, who served as Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending Director since rejoining Rhinebeck Bank in March 2018, brings more than 20 years of commercial lending experience to his new role as Chief Lending Officer. In addition to leading the Bank's Commercial Lending team, he will also oversee the Bank's Indirect/Consumer Lending department.

"It is always a win when we can internally fill our most senior roles," said Quinn. "We are proud of what Phil has accomplished while at Rhinebeck Bank, focusing his team on serving the needs of the Hudson Valley's commercial customers looking to create, expand or modernize their businesses."

A SUNY Albany graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Bronzi will graduate this month from the American Bankers Association's Stonier Graduate School of Banking, a partnership with the Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.