Columbia Bank prioritized their community—even beyond branch operations—in the early stages of COVID-19. Bank associates helped to extend a $1.5 million dollar line of credit that was used to transform Edison’s 157,000 square foot Convention and Exposition Center into a 500-bed emergency field hospital. Grasping the urgency of the situation, they worked diligently to close the loan in less than a week. Throughout the pandemic, Columbia Bank carried on their incredible work by honing in on two essential priorities—creating a healthy, safe and convenient environment for all, and leveraging services to support struggling businesses, customers and communities. Associates focused on these goals all while maintaining a high level of service and accessibility. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and put customer safety first, the bank launched senior priority hours, designating early morning lobby hours to customers who were most vulnerable. Additionally, all facilities have been operating under limited occupancy, are deep-cleaned regularly, retrofitted for Plexiglas and well-stocked with PPE. Columbia Bank continuously serves customers through drive-up services, appointment banking and digital products.
