Community Banking is Good for Business
The First Bank of Greenwich & Riko’s Pizza Prove it’s True
Riko’s Pizza has earned a reputation for putting family first. Of course, they’re equally well known for making an incredible thin-crust pizza. The First Bank of Greenwich is known as a genuine community bank, supporting the dreams of small and mid-sized business owners with commercial funding and services that meet their needs. These two businesses celebrated the culmination of their collaboration on May 12 with the Grand Opening of Riko’s newest location in Stamford. However, it’s only after you’ve heard the backstory behind these two respected businesses that you understand why they were destined to come together.
Building a Business
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Riko’s Pizza is the brainchild of two cousins who wanted to share their passion for great pizza. With recipes dating back more than seven decades, Riko’s created a signature pizza that immediately became a hometown favorite. If you ask Enrico Imbrogno, he’ll tell you that “Family always comes first at Riko’s. That means our customers always feel welcome and our employees feel valued. That’s how we’ve built our reputation throughout every community we serve.”
Riko’s Pizza continues to grow, as they now operate on a franchise model with two locations in Stamford, one in Norwalk, two on Long Island, and more to come.
Corporate Reciprocity: Banks & Businesses Grow Together
Frank J. Gaudio, President and Chief Executive Officer of The First Bank of Greenwich, has a passion for building relationships with business owners. He explains, “When businesses succeed, so do the banks that support them. And the communities where they’re located grow as well. A strong community bank that works with local businesses develops a kind of corporate reciprocity. Together, we create jobs, provide crucial services, and help our friends and neighbors thrive. That’s community banking. That’s what The First Bank of Greenwich is all about.”
City-Wide Support
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the newest Riko’s Pizza location in the Commerce Park Shopping Center located at 2010 West Main Street. Mayor Simmons shared, “I’m excited to welcome another Riko’s Pizza to Stamford. It’s good to see a community bank like The First Bank of Greenwich work to provide financing for the acquisition, construction, and operation of a new business. Retaining and recruiting businesses to Stamford is one of my top priorities. Watching these two work together to make that happen is both personally rewarding as a resident of Stamford, and professionally rewarding as mayor.”
Giving Business Owners a Voice
And not only was May 12 a celebration of The First Bank of Greenwich’s partnership with Riko’s in providing financing for the acquisition, construction and working capital for the new location but the day also celebrated The First Bank of Greenwich’s first 2022 Tri-Advisory Board Meeting. The Tri-Advisory Board is composed of customers who are business owners, managers, professional associates, and entrepreneurs throughout the bank’s 2 branches located in Stamford and Greenwich, CT; as well as their Port Chester, NY branch. Over 500 members of these business communities work together to ensure that The First Bank of Greenwich is formulating policies and procedures and providing services that positively impact businesses throughout a large and diverse range of industries.
(Photos by Bob Capazzo & Zack Furnari)