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Getting to Know Us: First New York Q&A

As your local credit union, First New York is full of individuals who live in the same area and bank at the same credit union that you do. To help you get to know us better, four of our stellar employees are opening up to you about their roles and lives. This way you can get to know us better as your credit union organization!

Today, we’ll be talking to four great employees with different roles within our organization. Each of them brings their own expertise and personality to our team. In this sit-down interview, you’ll meet:

• Kara Sour, First New York Retirement & Investment Services Coordinator;
• Michelle Maneri, Contact Center Manager;
• Phil Craan, Niskayuna Branch Manager; and
• Ben Lawrence, Albany Branch Manager.

Now that you know who are guests are, let’s get into it. Continue reading to learn more about our guests and why they enjoy helping our members aim higher!

Q1: Can you tell our members a little bit about yourself?

Kara: My name is Kara Sour. I’m the First New York Retirement & Investment Services Coordinator, and I started this position on May 18, 2020. I went to college at Siena and got my MBA at St. Rose. I am notary and medallion certified.

Michelle: My name is Michelle Maneri. I have been in the banking industry for over 20 years, working in a large international bank and a small community bank before landing here as a Floating Branch Manager in 2016. In Early 2020, I was given the opportunity to lead our Contact Center.

Phil: My name is Philip Craan, I am currently the Branch Manager of our Niskayuna office and I have been an employee of FNYFCU for over 18 years now. Began my career as an Assistant Branch Manager, and within 9 months, I was promoted to Branch Manager I have held that position in both our Rotterdam Branch and now our Niskayuna Branch.

Ben: Hello everyone, my name is Ben Lawrence, and I’m the branch manager for the Albany location of First New York FCU. I’ve been with First New York for just over 5 years. I started in the Saratoga branch as the assistant manager and from there I moved to the Halfmoon/North Greenbush locations as the branch manager for our high-tech, high-touch branches.

Q2: What Does Your Day-to-Day Look Like? 

Kara: In my role, I help our First New York Retirement & Investment team in a multitude of ways. I open accounts, make money transfers, handle scheduling, help with consolidating accounts, and provide excellent customer service. Our team helps anyone with no commitment, no charge, and no obligation for meetings or consultations. We offer many investment products to First New York FCU members and non-members as well as virtual education seminars.

Michelle: I love the fast pace of the department and the different tools that we have to assist us in taking care of our members. When the pandemic shut our branches down, we were here to reassure the members and assist them in finding alternate ways to do their banking! It makes me the happiest when I have a member call in that is unsure of something that is happening, and we can save them.

Whether it be someone trying to talk them into doing a fraudulent wire transfer, to assist them in recovering their security when they let somebody remote into their computer allowing them to access anything that they have stored on their system. We are here to reassure them that we are here to help, and are knowledgeable in many of the different scams that go around. If their debit card has been fraudulently used, we are able to get them the dispute forms quickly to start the process and get them a new card. It always makes me feel good when we are able to save the member’s money or from making a mistake that is costly to them.

Phil: I enjoy helping members get their first car, establish their First Business account, or even open up their very first Bank account with us. It is a privilege to help those that may not know how credit works or how much they can afford to pay on a car note. The most important part of my job is establishing relationships with our members.  When we get to know our members, we can help them the most.

Ben: My favorite thing about working with First New York is being able to help our members. Being in a credit union environment allows us to really place our focus on helping our members and doing what is in their best interest. I’ve been able to help many members lower their monthly bills and put more money in their pockets by finding loan products that best suit their needs.

In particular, I was able to help one member save over $500.00 per month by helping them consolidate their credit payments into one easier-to-manage monthly amount. Being able to help someone save that kind of money is what makes me proud to work at First New York!

Q3: What Do You Enjoy Doing Outside of Work? 

Kara: I have a lot of hobbies and interests. I enjoy being outside as much as I can, spending time with family and my dog, traveling, going on walks, and cooking!

Michelle: I live locally with my boyfriend and 4 cats. They are spoiled rotten, they get whatever they want. In my other life, I am a lighting technician for live music, and I haven’t done this since the late 80s.

I love the challenges that this type of position can throw in front of me, if I cannot figure it out, there isn’t light for the band, so that’s not an option. It’s a great feeling when it all works out like it’s supposed to and the band looks good. I have been behind the board for everyone from the band that’s playing their first-ever gig to James Taylor, Queensryche, and Tesla … and it keeps going. Learning to operate and adapt under pressure has given me the skills that I need in whatever position I end up in.

I also love to travel. I was in Hawaii most recently, spending time on the beautiful beaches of Oahu.

Phil: My hobbies include camping and biking. Next year, my wife and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage, which means we’ve spent 31 years together. I’m looking forward to our Caribbean vacation next year!

Ben: I’m currently married, and I have two kids that are 8 and 11. We are currently all taking karate, and my wife is a senpai, which means she is a rank below sensei. My son and I also enjoy rock climbing.

The Wrap-Up: Conclusion

Thank you to all of our wonderful First New York FCU guests! If you loved our guests, check out their “Feel Good Moments: January 2023 Roundup” interview.

Be sure to say “hi” to them if you see them in person or talk to them over the phone! If you need any assistance or help, you can visit us online or contact us today.