COCC headquarters, Avon

Avon-based COCC, a provider of next-generation technology services for financial institutions, recently announced that New Tripoli Bank will replace its in-house system with COCC’s comprehensive outsourced offering. The $242 million New Tripoli Bank is located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley and is COCC’s first client institution in that state.

“The completeness of COCC’s product set, the quality of support, and the stability resulting from COCC’s cooperative ownership structure represent significant advantages to New Tripoli Bank,” said bank President and Chief Executive Officer David Hunsicker. “We wanted a technology partner whose commitment to service equaled our own. After checking with numerous COCC clients, we knew we had found a partner that is truly committed to support.”

Hunsicker explained that today’s banking technology vendors are merging faster than banks.

“By contrast, COCC has offered its services under the same banner for 38 years,” he said. “COCC’s ratio of customer service staff to clients is the highest anywhere in the industry, which is particularly important. We’re looking forward to concentrating on banking rather than information technology.”

Under the terms of the agreement, New Tripoli Bank will replace its current in-house systems with COCC’s OSI-based account processing, check image processing, electronic banking, risk management, network management, Oracle Financials and integrated COLD services. All of those solutions utilize next-generation, open architecture for maximum integration and efficiency.

“COCC gives us the ideal platform for every aspect of information technology,” said Robert Wenhold, executive vice president at New Tripoli Bank. “Open architecture is a prerequisite for success in today’s banking environment, and COCC has taken great advantage of it.”

Wenhold noted that COCC’s core solution is based on Open Solutions software, which is both technologically current and actively supported by a strong customer support organization. Wenhold said that COCC’s open platform will enable New Tripoli Bank to offer the leading-edge products and services that customers have come to expect.

“Beyond the technology, COCC’s support strategies are very strong at all levels,” said Wenhold. “The company’s ‘Power User’ approach encourages client institutions to advance their staff skills to the highest levels and maintain them when staff changes. That’s an important factor in keeping competitive in today’s market.”

Wenhold said he was also impressed by the way COCC follows up on day-to-day processing issues.

“With every person, there is a commitment to service,” said Wenhold. “It’s just a first-class operation.”

Another factor in the bank’s decision is the surge in regulatory demands. Hunsicker said his board has grown increasingly concerned about the cost of regulations such as the Bank Secrecy Act. Converting to COCC will automate a number of risk management tasks, particularly software patching and around-the-clock Internet monitoring. “Without COCC, the bank would have to hire two people just to stay up to date,” said Hunsicker.

Automation will further improve the bank’s proof and accounting areas, where Hunsicker expects to move people out of mechanical functions to revenue enhancing activities. Increased efficiency through automation will trim efforts to balance and produce reports while enabling the bank to take advantage of next-generation capabilities with image exchange.

Jansons Joins Sterling
Larry Jansons has recently joined Bethel-based Sterling Lending Group as a loan officer.

Jansons lives in Danbury and holds a bachelor of science degree in supervisory management from Western Connecticut State University. He has more than a decade of experience in sales and business management.

“I joined Sterling Lending Group because of their dedication to seeing that their employees succeed and the professionalism of the organization,” he said.