Orange Bank & Trust Hires Three New Officers to Support Growing Trust Division

November 29, 2023 at 03:30 AM EST

MIDDLETOWN, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2023 / Orange Bank & Trust Company (the "Bank"), the banking subsidiary of Orange County Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:OBT), is pleased to announce the addition of three new officers to its expanding Trust Services Division: Jacqueline Weimmer, Sarita Bhandarkar and Garry Garnet.

Jacqueline has joined the Bank's Trust Services Division as First Vice President, Trust Officer, and Manager of the Special Needs Trust and Guardianship Department in Mount Vernon. Garry joins Jacqueline in the Mount Vernon Special Needs Department as Vice President and Trust Officer. Sarita has joined the team as Vice President and Trust Officer in the Trust and Estates Department located in Goshen, NY.

"We are delighted to welcome Jacqueline, Sarita and Garry to our team," said Michael Gilfeather, President and CEO of Orange Bank & Trust Company. "Their combined skills in trusts and estate planning, and knowledge of Special Needs Trust administration, will complement our dedicated Trust team and support our efforts as we expand this growing area of expertise."

Jacqueline comes to the Bank from Comerica Bank in New York City, where she was Vice President and National Manager of the Special Needs Solutions Team. She has extensive experience with the intricacies of SNT administration, and has focused her career on trust and estate planning for individuals with disabilities. She also has broad experience in managing personal trust accounts. Jacqueline is a court-appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster care system and sits on the board of Care Point Health at Bayonne Hospital.

Sarita is an experienced trust, estate, and elder law attorney. Prior to joining the Bank, she practiced law in the Hudson Valley for over fifteen years, establishing Bhandarkar Law, P.C. in 2018. Before returning to the Hudson Valley, she practiced law for several years at a boutique trust and estate firm in Manhattan. She holds a law degree from the College of William and Mary School of Law and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York Law School. Sarita is presently a member of the Trusts and Estates and Elder Law and Special Needs sections of the New York State Bar Association. Sarita presently serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan and is a member of the Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council.

Garry is a trust and estate professional with an extensive background in managing relationships with high-net-worth individuals and families. Prior to joining the Bank, he was Vice President and Trust Advisor at Comerica Bank in New York City. He also was a Trust Officer at Morgan Stanley and the Senior Director of Admissions for the American Law Society. Garry earned a master's degree from St. John's University and a law degree from Touro Law School.

The Bank's Trust Services Division comprises two departments - Trusts and Estates and Special Needs Trusts (SNT) and Guardianships. The SNT team works with clients to administer special needs trusts and guardianships for family members with disabilities to protect and preserve benefits, while providing funds to improve their quality of life. The team works with outside professionals including visiting nurse services, care managers, attorneys and accountants to provide solutions.

The Trust and Estates team oversees trust and estate planning for business owners, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Trust officers work directly with clients' legal and accounting advisers to evaluate traditional trust and estate solutions, administer trusts to preserve and protect assets, and plan for retirement.

About Orange County Bancorp Inc.

Orange County Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Orange Bank & Trust Company and Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, Inc. Orange Bank & Trust Company is an independent bank that began with the vision of 14 founders over 130 years ago. It has grown through ongoing innovation and an unwavering commitment to its community and business clientele to 2.5 billion in total assets. Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor in Goshen, NY. It was founded in 1996 and was acquired by the Company in 2012. In recent years, Orange Bank & Trust has added branches in Rockland, Westchester and the Bronx.