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Month: November 2023

Kish Bank Appoints Keith Crissman Chief Revenue Officer

Posted on by Melissa Brown

STATE COLLEGE, PA – November 17, 2023 – Kish Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Pennsylvania native Keith Crissman to the position of Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer. In this role, Crissman will develop and execute strategies to drive revenue growth, customer acquisition and retention, and market expansion. He will lead a team of high-performing executives fostering a customer-centric culture to enhance customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

“We are excited to welcome Keith to the Kish team. His executive experience in financial services brings significant capacity to help Kish continue to grow while maintaining our community commitment,” said Greg Hayes, CEO and President of Kish Bank. Hayes added, “Keith embraces our core values and our belief that we can make lives better with an unwavering focus on fulfilling our clients’ financial needs.”

Crissman’s 35 years of banking experience includes 24 years with Alabama-based Regions Bank, where he held multi-state line of business executive roles in Retail Banking, Wealth Management, and Treasury Management, as well as executive-level geography leadership roles. Most recently, Crissman was Head of Business Banking for Simmons Bank based in Little Rock, AR, where he was responsible for defining, building, and executing business banking strategies for companies with annual revenues of $10 million and under.

A native of Carlisle, PA, Crissman earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Retail Bank Management at the University of Virginia. Crissman shares Kish Bank’s passion for community and has held leadership positions at several nonprofit organizations, including United Way, the LSU Health Science Foundation, and the American Heart Association. Crissman and his wife, Jennifer, are in the process of relocating from Texas to State College.

About Kish Bank
Kish Bank is a $1.4 billion regional community bank that operates 18 offices and financial centers serving Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Blair, and Juniata counties, and northeastern Ohio. Other business units of Kish Bank include: Kish Insurance, Kish Financial Solutions, Kish Benefits Consulting, and Kish Travel. Kish Bank is a subsidiary of Kish Bancorp, Inc., trading under the OTCQX stock ticker symbol of KISB. For additional information, please visit MyKish.com.

The Power of ‘I Don’t Know’: Embracing Uncertainty as a Leader

Posted on by Melissa Brown

In any organization, there will always be times when the leaders don’t have the answers. However, rather than admitting they don’t know something, some leaders will instead try to disguise their lack of knowledge with jargon and buzzwords.

Pretending to know everything can quickly undermine your credibility as a leader when your lack of knowledge surfaces. Not only does this diminish your trustworthiness, but it also stifles open dialogue and critical thinking in the workplace. This power imbalance may discourage employees from challenging managerial perspectives, inadvertently limiting the organization to the narrow viewpoint of its leaders instead of leveraging the collective wisdom of the entire team.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. The key to building trust with your employees and fostering honest discussions is to role model how to be an accountable leader who speaks honestly about what you know and commits to learning more when you don’t. Read on to learn how to embrace the wisdom of ‘not knowing’ and how to serve your teams as a proactive leader and learner.

How to Take Off Your ‘Heavy Armor’
There’s no shame in simply not knowing the answer to something. And yet, shame is what many leaders feel when they do not have an answer or ready-made solution. Unfortunately, the sting of embarrassment leads to some unflattering behavior, where leaders may anxiously ramble on or use unfamiliar jargon to prop up their expertise.

Acclaimed writer and researcher, Brené Brown says that self-protection is what gets in the way of saying ‘I don’t know.’ Many leaders have been shamed or embarrassed publicly when they haven’t known something and develop what Brown calls ‘heavy armor.’ Brown writes that being the ‘knower’ is common for many leaders but puts them in an unwinnable position: “Unfortunately, needing to know everything is pretty miserable for the knowers and everyone around them. It leads to distrust, bad decisions, and unnecessary, unproductive conflict.”

While it may take some practice, there is surprising power in saying, “I don’t know,” especially when you follow up later with informed answers. In order to embrace this approach, however, you will need courage to remove your armor.

The Curious Leader
Embracing curiosity and admitting uncertainties as a leader fosters an environment of critical thinking and problem-solving. Translating ‘I don’t know’ into ‘let’s discover,’ emphasizes the importance of understanding over mere knowledge. The World Economic Forum highlights analytical and creative thinking as top in-demand career skills. In our dynamic world, expecting leaders to know everything is unrealistic. Overall, fostering diverse perspectives and problem-solving allows leaders to navigate past personal ego and prioritize obtaining precise and current information for the organization’s advantage.

The Takeaway
Leaders can cultivate a healthier, collaborative workplace by embracing the power of “I don’t know.” Instead of viewing it as a weakness, see it as an opportunity to foster team unity and extend learning. Curiosity and a commitment to seeking knowledge are more beneficial than pretending to know it all. The best leaders lead by example, showing accountability, authenticity, and a willingness to learn. By fostering critical thinking, you enrich your leadership abilities and empower your team. Strength lies not in having all the answers, but in the courage to seek them out together.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC.

Small Business Saturday Resources for Small Business

Posted on by Melissa Brown

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce provides guides for small businesses to help them make the most of Small Business Saturday:


How Any Business Can Make the Most of Small Business Saturday
Five Expert Tips to Win on Small Business Saturday
How to Sign Up for Small Business Saturday
Boost Your Small Business Saturday Sales
5 Retail Trends All Marketers Should Know to Fuel Growth on Small Business Saturday (and Year-Round)

American Express has resources for businesses and shoppers to participate in the national Shop Small campaign such as custom signage and templates, and an interactive map, on their website.

Boost Your Business: 3 Powerful Marketing Strategies for Small Business

Posted on by Melissa Brown

As a small business owner, you may often juggle the demands of running your business and effectively marketing it. But attracting new customers, nurturing existing relationships, and building loyalty doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this article, we will explore three powerful marketing strategies that can boost your business while keeping your sanity and budget intact.

Understand Your Customer
Before developing any marketing plan, it is crucial to understand your target audience. The better you know your customer, the better you can tailor your messaging and offerings to meet their needs. Use these simple questions to help form a customer profile.

Who is your ideal customer?
What motivates them?
What pain points are they trying to solve?
To gain this understanding, you can use your experience as the business owner. However, if you want more precise data, market research tools can help. For example, you can survey your existing customers to learn more about their behaviors, preferences, and satisfaction levels. Pay special attention to how they discovered your business and whether they are local or come from a farther distance. This data can help you target your marketing geographically, in addition to understanding the impact of advertising versus customer word-of-mouth.

Conducting competitor analysis is another way of learning more about what offers are working or what services might be missing for your prospective customer base. Hubspot offers a helpful guide to small business owners looking to learn more about their competition. Lastly, make sure you have completed a free business profile with Google, so you are able to monitor online metrics like website traffic and customer behavior through Google Analytics. With this information, you can develop a customer persona that will help guide your marketing efforts.

Partner with Other Businesses
Collaborating with other businesses that share your values and target audience can be an excellent way to reach new customers. For example, you can team up with a complimentary business to host an event or create a joint promotion. This can help to amplify your message and attract new customers who have yet to discover your business.

If your business has a physical location, consider collaborating with other businesses on the block. In a small shopping district in Portland, Oregon, businesses collaborate during the holiday season with a ‘golden ticket’ promotion. The concept rewards customers by giving them a golden ticket that can be used at partner stores in the shopping district. By gamifying holiday shopping and role modeling reciprocity, the business community has tapped into some known consumer behaviors: customers like to have fun and feel good about their purchases.

Offer Incentives and Rewards
People love rewards and incentives, as seen in the golden ticket example. Offering a discount or loyalty program can be an effective way to encourage repeat business. Additionally, if you have a referral program, you can encourage your satisfied customers to spread the word about your business to their friends and family. If starting a loyalty program feels daunting, check out Indeed’s framework that includes five steps to help create your own loyalty or referral program.

Long-term programs are great, but don’t miss the opportunity to wow first time customers who may be exploring your business or comparing you to a customer. Offer tantalizing promotions, discounts, or bonus items for minimum purchases. And remember: it’s great to be generous, but make sure the math works out in your favor. NerdWallet advises weighing specific risks and benefits of your promotion in order to prioritize profitability.

Keep it Simple
You don’t have to do everything at once. Simply try one strategy at a time and see what works. As you learn more about your customer, partner with compatriot businesses, and offer strategic incentives and rewards, you will be on your way to building a loyal base of customers.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is a private non-profit organization that aims to support the growth and development of local businesses and our regional economy. We strive to create content that not only educates but also fosters a sense of connection and collaboration among our readers. Join us as we explore topics such as economic development, networking opportunities, upcoming events, and success stories from our vibrant community. Our resources provide insights, advice, and news that are relevant to business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members alike. The Chamber has been granted license to publish this content provided by Chamber Today, a service of ChamberThink Strategies LLC.

Kish for the Cure Online Auction Fundraiser to Begin November 8

Posted on by Melissa Brown
Kish for the Cure Logo

STATE COLLEGE, PA – November 7, 2023 – Kish Bank invites the public to join in the fight against cancer through its Kish for the Cure Online Auction fundraiser supporting local cancer-related nonprofits, taking place November 8–17. Bidders can support an important cause while bidding on great items that include premium baskets, experiences, collector memorabilia, and more!

Kish for the Cure is an annual grassroots fundraising effort led by Kish employees that benefits local cancer-related nonprofits the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund, PA Pink Zone, and Relay For Life of Mifflin/Juniata. These organizations make a major difference in the central PA region by funding cancer awareness, research, treatment programs at area hospitals, and financial support for local individuals and families facing cancer, and Kish is proud to support their efforts. With help from customers, local businesses, and friends, Kish has raised over $460,000 for these organizations since 2012.

To browse or bid in the Online Auction, visit handbid.app.link/kftc23. The auction opens for bidding Wednesday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m. and closes Friday, November 17 at 5:00 p.m. Monetary donations are also welcome and can be made online at handbid.app.link/kftc-donate or in person at any Kish Bank branch. For more information, please visit MyKish.com/cure.