Robert Bilger Joins Kish Bank, Expands Commercial Lending to Blair County

March 19, 2021

PRESS RELEASE

STATE COLLEGE, PA – Kish Bank has announced the appointment of Robert Bilger to the position of Senior Vice President, Market Leader and Senior Commercial Lender. Bilger will bring Kish’s commercial lending and business banking services to Altoona and Blair County, along with serving business clients in the bank’s current Huntingdon County market.

Bilger joins Kish with over 32 years of experience in banking and commercial lending. His previous experience includes roles as Vice President, Commercial Lender for Reliance Bank and most recently as Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager for M&T Bank in Altoona.

In making the announcement, Kish Bank Chairman and CEO Bill Hayes stated, “We are very pleased to welcome Bob Bilger to the Kish team. His experience and reputation in the Greater Altoona area make him an ideal leader for Kish’s expansion efforts in Blair County.”

Hayes added, “Establishing a full banking presence in Altoona is a priority for Kish. The market has a rich local banking history that comprised an integral part of the region’s robust economic fabric. We are confident that Kish Bank’s intense focus on delivering responsive and engaged local banking and financial services will be a welcome addition to the region.”

A resident of Hollidaysburg, Bilger is active in the community, currently serving as President for We Care Foundation and as a Board Member, Finance Committee Member, and Allocations Committee Member for the UPMC Altoona Foundation. He is also a past Chairman of the Board and past Finance Committee Member for the Blair County Chamber of Commerce. Bilger holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Penn State University.

Ric Sarfert, EVP and Chief Lending Officer for Kish Bank, commented, “Bob is a tremendous fit with Kish’s strong credit and service culture. We are confident that his deep knowledge of the market and exceptional commercial relationship management skills will drive rapid growth for Kish and expand the communities we are able to serve. His market leadership will be augmented by support from Kish’s senior executive officers and the full engagement of the entire credit team.” Sarfert continued, “Despite the constraining COVID-19 environment, Bob has already made strides in advancing Kish’s presence in the Altoona market through the establishment of commercial lending relationships and his initial recruiting efforts of a Blair County Regional Board that will help to guide our market expansion.”

At present, Kish is actively pursuing the establishment of a Limited Purpose Office with the objective of identifying a permanent full-service branch location within the year that will make available a full complement of banking and financial service professionals.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, Bilger is currently available to meet by appointment only. He can be reached by phone at 814-325-7764 or by email at robert.bilger@kishbank.com.
 

About Kish Bank

Kish Bank is a $1.0 billion regional community bank that operates seventeen offices and financial centers in Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, and Juniata counties. Affiliates of Kish Bank include: Kish Insurance, Kish Financial Solutions, Kish Benefits Consulting, and Kish Travel. For additional information, please visit www.kishbank.com. Kish Bank is a subsidiary of Kish Bancorp, Inc., trading under the OTC stock ticker symbol of KISB.

###