Add State Bank of Long Island to the growing roster of financial institutions going green.
The $1.6 billion-asset New Hyde Park, N.Y., bank is replacing its fleet of vehicles, including those assigned to bank executives, with hybrids, and it is designing its new midtown Manhattan branch, scheduled to open next quarter, to be more energy-efficient than the typical one.
Tom O’Brien, president and chief executive officer of the bank and its parent company, State Bancorp Inc., is spearheading the initiatives. He commutes to work in a Toyota Prius, and he said that global warming is an issue that cannot be ignored. At State Bank, “we are just trying to do our part.” Related Link
Deborah Kendric, a spokeswoman for State Bank, said turning the midtown branch into a green building was a sensible decision.
“To take our existing 16 branches and convert them would be incredibly difficult,” she said. “However, the midtown building gives us a chance to start fresh and to start being proactive.”
Mr. O’Brien said that when he met with the interior designers and construction crew, he told them, “Use low-consumption light, use as much natural lighting as possible, and use materials that are generally considered renewable.”
For future remodeling, State Bank will keep the same type of standards in mind.
Mr. O’Brien set the standard for the bank’s new fleet of cars by choosing to drive a hybrid himself. Ms. Kendric said that the CEO’s familiarity with hybrids made it an easy decision to convert the fleet.
However, Mr. O’Brien expects the transition will not be easy for everyone. “Generally and intellectually, people are pleased to see the company take a leadership role,” he said. “But for somebody driving a big gas-guzzler, it will be a lifestyle change.”
State Bank has another green initiative in the works. To save paper — and postage — it plans to start using the Internet for all of its shareholder communications, Ms. Kendric said.
