Keeping “Community” at the Heart of Your Business Strategy: A Q&A with Ronda Howard

What makes Rochester a great place to do business and to call home?

While I’ve been with Community Bank since 2006 and in my current role as community lending specialist serving the Rochester market since 2022, I have just relocated to the Rochester area very recently and am looking forward to immersing myself in all the community has to offer. So far, I’ve been enjoying theater, festivals and sporting events with the changing seasons, but I’m eager to explore more local parks, lakes and outdoor activities, too. It’s also fun to simply walk through different neighborhoods to see the historic homes and architecture that’s unique to the area.

I work closely with city officials, nonprofit organizations and Realtors to develop programs to meet the financial lending needs of all individuals, including mortgage, business and direct-installment lending for low- to moderate-income communities. Now, as a proud Rochester resident, it’s very rewarding to support area customers and local businesses along their financial journey, whatever stage that may be — whether they’re a startup looking to grow their business or are first-time homebuyers looking for quality and affordable mortgage financing options.

However, probably the most fulfilling aspect of immersing myself in the Rochester community is getting to connect with several community organizations in a volunteer capacity, including the Boys & Girls Club, Rochester Rotary and Roberto Clemente School No. 8, where we tutor students and volunteer in classrooms. That volunteer work spills over into the day-to-day at the bank, too, and I’m proud of our local team for embodying what it means to be good neighbors — above and beyond being just a banking partner.

Why is giving back to the local community so important?

Community engagement is so important because all people deserve respect and the resources they need to thrive. I and several other team members had the opportunity to participate in two corporate build days for Flower City Habitat for Humanity earlier this year, which was such a fun and uplifting experience! The homeowner of one of the houses we helped build was someone who I coached through the homeownership financing process, so it was a true full-circle moment that demonstrated the impact we can all make when community is at the forefront of  your business priorities and actions.

I’m excited to stay involved and help organize other community service and volunteering activities around Rochester with the team. So far this year, we’ve collected more than $23,000 in grants, donations and sponsorships to support a few other local nonprofit organizations addressing critical needs in the community, including CDS Wolf Foundation, Special Olympics New York, the Al Sigl Foundation, PathStone, Urban League and others. But there’s always more to be done, especially in supporting underserved areas as our branch network grows locally.

What other resources are most impactful for the Rochester community?

Financial literacy will be a significant focus, and we’ll continue to participate in financial literacy classes with various organizations and find new opportunities to further our commitment to the area in meaningful ways. I’m also working on partnering with an organization to help with affordable car loans for employment transportation and partnering with the City of Rochester to make homeownership more accessible.

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