Jean Galliano, senior vice president of the State College office of Fulton Bank, has been there since the beginning.
She watched as the commercial banking office grew from a small operation of just three people to a 15 person team, complete with a brand new building to coincide with the operation’s ten year anniversary of serving State College. Fittingly, Galliano had the honor of cutting the ribbon at the new Fulton Building on North Atherton on Friday.
The Fulton Building, located at 2009 N. Atherton Street in the Fulton Center, is a handsome brick multi-story building completed just last month, which now houses Fulton Bank’s administrative offices and commercial banking team. While the nearby bank branch will still serve individuals, Galliano’s team will work with small and mid-size businesses to help local capitalists grow.
The building has been under construction since last spring, though Galliano says there were no careful plans for its completion to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Fulton’s State College office. Even if the coincidence is “a happy accident,” she looks forward to some of her best work at the new site.
“Historically, the Centre Region has been an area of great economic growth when compared to other parts of the state,” Galliano says. “We’re looking forward to being a vital part of the continued growth of the Centre region.”
Phil Wenger, president and CEO of the Lancaster-based Fulton Bank, says he’d been trying to expand Fulton’s business into Centre County ever since he first joined the company back in 1979. A Penn State graduate, Wenger had seen first hand the immense economic potential of State College and the surrounding areas. Though they didn’t begin their operations in the Centre region until 2005, Wenger says he’s excited to see the bank’s services taking off at such an incredible pace.
“It took us a while, but we finally made it,” Wenger remarked at Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony, prompting laughter from the small crowd of Fulton Bank staffers, local business leaders and Centre County elected officials.
And the Fulton Bank administrative team isn’t keeping their new building all to themselves. The bottom level houses State College’s second Jersey Mike’s sub shop, and Mick Trombley of Trombley Real Estate says there’s still space for more tenants.
Only ten minutes before the ribbon cutting, Trombley was showing off the second floor to potential tenants: 3,200 square feet of retail and office potential. He says that several parties have expressed “extreme interest” in the space, and negotiations are underway.
Centre County commissioner Michael Pipe sees the new site as “an investment” in the Centre region. Area businesses have a new financial avenue to enjoy, a popular sandwich joint can make twice as many people happy, and the Centre County economy continues to grow and attract attention.
“Vitality and growth in our community should be celebrated,” he says.
Popular Stories:
Winter Storm Expected to Bring Heavy Snow Monday, Schools Closed
Primanti Bros. Grand Opening Draws Enormous Crowds
Police: Man Held Former Girlfriend at Knifepoint Inside Apartment
Penn State Track Honors Late Kevin Dare Through High School Meet
The Difference Between ‘Creative’ Writing and Lying on Your Resume
Smith & Amos Wow Woo from Penn State at Senior Bowl
Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Tie Northern Michigan 5-5 In Hectic Game
Penn State Basketball: Nittany Lions Thump Rutgers 79-51
Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Score Four Straight To Win 5-4 On Friday Night
