May 18 was no ordinary day for 17 very extraordinary people.

Lehigh County Office of Aging and Adult Services organized the 22nd annual “Tribute to Unsung Heroes” award presentation. This event honored 17 older Lehigh County residents who displayed exceptional generosity with their time and talents to enhance the lives of others throughout their communities.

In 1965, then-President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Older Americans Act, declaring May Older American Month.

The theme for this year’s nominees was “Age My Way.”

Guests were welcomed by Lehigh County Office of Aging and Adult Services, Executive Director, Clayton Reed Jr. Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Aging Robert Torres gave opening remarks. Both men presented certificates and citations to each recipient.

Willard A. Snyder, former President and Chairman Emeritus for New Tripoli Bank, was among those honorees nominated as an Unsung Hero.

In hand with his new bride Lucille in the late 1950’s, Willard A. Snyder migrated from his native Carbon County across the Blue Mountain to the New Tripoli area of Lynn Township. While it was a short journey by today’s standards, this young man, fluent in Pennsylvania German, blended quickly with the tightly knit locals, also mostly German, and with the name Snyder, the door opened to their fellowship and ancestry.

With a degree in Business Education, Willard began as a teacher, quickly moving into the world of the local trustworthy banker, eventually wearing the hat of President and CEO of the New Tripoli Bank. The well-earned title of Board Member or President or Treasurer or Association Director attached his name in more than a half dozen banking associations throughout Pennsylvania. In the community, he replicated these leadership roles with the Ebenezer Church Consistory, various Lynn Township Boards, Community Fire Company of New Tripoli and founding President of the Northwestern Lehigh Educational Foundation. All these contacts, along with being the Father of 3 active sons, nurtured Willard’s developing passion for absorbing and preserving local history. In 2000, Willard teamed with a few other locals, including his late friend and avid artifacts collector, Carl D. Snyder, in creating the Lynn Township Historical Society, serving as President or Treasurer for many terms, and later expanding to include neighboring Heidelberg Township.

Willard Snyder was the leader; the originator and hands-on promoter of the many to date accomplishments of the Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society. Instrumental in developing LHHS’s permanent museum/library in the old New Tripoli Bank, Willard and his team also enjoyed a well-deserved working relationship with Lynn Township officials and community leaders to become part of the much-anticipated rebirth of the previously widely known Ontelaunee (amusement) Park in New Tripoli, dating back to 1929, sadly later abandoned. Restored as a recreational space, Willard enjoined the local historical society in creating “Pioneer Village” as a historical and educational treasure in the Park, now home to the relocation or re-creation of these important local structures:

• Zeisloff House log cabin from its original site where many family members were massacred during the French and Indian War.
• Early frontier Fort Everett, replica of the nearby Blue Mountain forts established by Ben Franklin.
• An 1800’s bank barn, generally credited solely to Willard’s acquisition and reconstruction directives
• The “Tripoli” Train Station replica through which the “Berksy” hauled potatoes and students throughout Berks and Lehigh Counties.

Willard was likewise a major player in establishing the Park’s annual October “Pioneer Festival” recreating early frontier life with costumed re-enactors.

Willard Snyder has truly dedicated his life and many personal resources to his love of local history. You will find his name engraved on the plaque in Allentown’s Liberty Bell Museum as a participant in the Bicentennial reenactment of the original 1776 Liberty Bell Trek between Philadelphia and Allentown, commemorating the rescue of the bells of Philadelphia, including our symbolic Liberty Bell, to safety in Allentown. Subsequent treks found Willard and others honoring local farmer Frederick Leaser who contributed his wagons to the 1776 trek.

Willard announced and led the restoration of the Leaser Family gravesite in Lynn Township from an overgrown wildlife refuge to an annually renewed public memorial with Old Glory flying overhead.

Willard Snyder was also recently recognized by the Liberty Bell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as their 2022 National Historic Preservation Award-winner for his contributions to preserving the history of Lehigh County as it relates to the American Revolution and the founding of our country.

Willard has dedicated his life to preserving the history of New Tripoli the surrounding areas, and the Pennsylvania Dutch culture. The Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society was established to preserve the history of the community dating to the early 1700's. Mr. Snyder served as a founding member of LHHS, President for many years, and is still actively involved in its work. He was active in the reenactment of the 1776 trek of the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown in 1976 and its subsequent treks. These treks also honored Frederick Leaser, a past resident of the area whose wagons were used to haul the Liberty Bell to Allentown when it was evacuated from Philadelphia.

Mr. Snyder has devoted his time, energy, and personal resources to enhancing the mission of the Historical Society. Among the Society's achievements over the past twenty years are the following:

• Restoring the family gravesite of the Leaser family.
• Moving the Zeisloft House from its original site to the Pioneer Village at Ontelaunee Park. The Zeislofts were one of the early families residing in the area who lost many family members to the massacre by the American Indians during the French and Indian War.
• Construction of Fort Everett in Pioneer Village at Ontelaunee Park as a replica of one of the forts established by Benjamin Franklin along the Blue Mountain, which served to provide security to the area during the French and Indian War.

Pennsylvania has such a rich history in our country—from its earliest Dutch settlements through the American Revolution—with so many battles, especially Valley Forge, and the pivotal role Philadelphia played in our founding, all the way to ringing the Liberty Bell, despite its unfortunate "ending" in 1846. Willard Snyder believed it was his duty to help preserve all of this storied history.

These pieces were originally published in the Lehigh Valley Press and the program booklet for the Daughters of the American Revolution's Award Ceremony for National Historic Preservation 2022.

The Board of Directors of New Tripoli Bank is pleased to announce they have hired Kate Hart Zayaitz as Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer.

Kate comes to New Tripoli Bank from her previous position as Commercial Bank Team Leader at Fulton Bank, where she worked for the past five years. Prior to Fulton, she was employed as a Corporate Banker for Truist (previously BB&T) and National Penn Bank.

Kate was born and raised in Emmaus and attended Emmaus High School. She is a graduate of Dickinson College and Lehigh University, where she obtained her Master of Business Administration. In 2008, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce named Kate the inaugural Athena Young Professional. Lehigh Valley Business Journal named her one of the “Top 20 Up & Coming People Under 40” in 2001 and a “Woman of Influence” in 2015.

She is involved with Commercial Real Estate for Women Lehigh Valley, serves as the Audit Committee Chair for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, and chairs the East Penn Chamber Scholarship Committee. She and her husband live in Lower Macungie Township with their two daughters.

New Tripoli Bank has donated $50,000 to the Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department. This donation, combined with strong community fundraising, has allowed the department to purchase a new tanker engine apparatus. On Monday, April 4, 2022, Dave Hunsicker, New Tripoli Bank President, CEO & Chairman, John Hayes, Executive VP & Chief Lending Officer, and Dave Sherwin, Vice President & Commercial Lender, visited the fire station to present the check to Fire Chief Matt Krapf, Assistant Chief Scott Freeman, Deputy Chief Brian Carl, and Fire Department President & Captain Jeff Broadhurst.

This donation helped fund the fire department’s newest truck: a 37-foot long, 34-ton Rosenbauer tanker engine apparatus that can hold up to 3,000 gallons of water. The new vehicle will help the fire department better protect to the safety of the community and comes with quality-of-life improvements that make it easier for the volunteers to fight fires and handle emergency situations. The new tanker replaces the 1977 Kenworth the department had previously used, which they had refurbished in 1999, and has since found a new home with a small-town fire department in another state.

Bank President Dave Hunsicker remarked on the bank’s long history of providing financial support to the Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department, “I’ve often said there is nothing more important than neighbors helping neighbors in their time of need. This check is recognition and thanks to our local volunteers for their dedicated service to the community.” In the days since the donation, the fire department has already had two opportunities to test their new truck while answering structure fire calls. Fire Chief Matt Krapf said, “for both calls, the apparatus has already proved its value and what a great asset it will be to the Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department.”

Pictured from left to right: Jeff Broadhurst, President & Captain, Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department; Brian Carl, Deputy Chief, Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department; John Hayes, Executive VP & Chief Lending Officer, New Tripoli Bank; Matt Krapf, Fire Chief, Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department; Dave Sherwin, Vice President & Commercial Lender, New Tripoli Bank; Dave Hunsicker, President, Chair & CEO, New Tripoli Bank; Scott Freeman, Assistant Chief, Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department

Did you miss our scam and fraud livestream? Don't worry; the video is now on our Youtube channel for your viewing pleasure! You can also download a PDF of all the slides from the presentation for your own personal use.

Click to download slides

New Tripoli Bank announces a leadership transition today that will take effect June 30, 2022.

David R. Hunsicker, current Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of New Tripoli Bank, will be serving in the capacity of Chairman of the Board and President effective June 30, 2022. He has spent 49 years working at New Tripoli Bank. He became Chief Executive Officer and President in December 1996 and Chairman of the Board in January 2011.

During his tenure as CEO, the Bank’s financial performance has been stellar. Assets grew from $109 million to $590 million, and the Bank has been given consistent 5-Star ratings by Bauer Financial. Under his leadership, New Tripoli Bank expanded from its home market in New Tripoli to Claussville in 1999 and Upper Milford in 2019.

During his career, Mr. Hunsicker has been a leader in the industry. He served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia from 2013 to 2018. He currently sits on the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s President Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors of the PA Bankers Association, and the Board of Directors of Atlantic Community Bankers Bank, where he also serves as Audit Committee Chair. He has also served on the Boards of numerous other organizations.

“I have been fortunate to lead an outstanding organization and a great team for many years,” said Mr. Hunsicker. “We are successful because of the dedication of our Board and employees, and the support of our customers and the communities we serve.”

John M. Hayes, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of New Tripoli Bank, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer effective June 30, 2022. He will be responsible for all daily operations of the bank.

Mr. Hayes has over thirty-five years of banking and financial services experience. Prior to joining New Tripoli Bank as Chief Lending Officer in 2016, from 2006 to 2016 he was President of AFC First Financial Corporation, a national leader in residential energy efficiency and renewable lending programs. He was also Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of East Penn Bank.

During his career, Mr. Hayes has also been a leader locally and in the industry. He is currently Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, a member of the Board of Directors of Barry Isett & Associates—a multidiscipline engineering and consulting firm—and he chairs the Lending Advisory Committee of the PA Bankers Association. From July 2019 through June of 2021, he served as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“New Tripoli Bank is a special organization, now 112 years old,” said Mr. Hayes. “I thank the Board of Directors, Dave Hunsicker, and our team for this opportunity and I look forward to working together to ensure our service to our customers and communities for another 112 years – at least.”

“John Hayes has shown he has our core principles at heart, that People are More Valuable Than Money,” said Mr. Hunsicker. “I look forward to the Bank’s continued strong performance and presence under his leadership.”

Join us on Friday, February 11th from 3:00 – 3:45 for a livestreamed presentation on common scams and frauds our customers report to us every day, how to identify these scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. The presentation will be livestreamed on our Facebook page and is free to attend.

We will also be covering the tools New Tripoli Bank customers can use to help spot possible fraud and protect themselves from scammers stealing their money, including our online banking platform and CardValet app.

The presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer period where the presenters will answer questions posted in the moderated livestream chat.

Come ready to learn and ask questions!

Check in to our Facebook event page so you'll be notified when we go live: https://www.facebook.com/events/957243428553534/

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From all of us at New Tripoli Bank to all of you, we hope everyone in our community has a lovely and safe holiday with your friends and families.

New Tripoli Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Jenna Smith to Assistant Vice President.

Jenna has been with New Tripoli Bank for 16 years, starting as a teller and then progressing through the branch network, moving up to Customer Service Representative, IRA Specialist, and Assistant Branch Manager. She was selected to fill the Branch Manager position for the bank’s Claussville office in 2019. Jenna is a certified IRA Services Professional and has completed the PA Bankers School of Banking. She is currently in her second year at the PA Bankers Advanced School of Banking.

New Tripoli Bank thanks Jenna for her dedication to the bank and wishes her continued success in her new position.

At New Tripoli Bank, we try to live up to our motto "People are More Valuable Than Money" by donating money to local organizations that make our community stronger.

2020 was a difficult year for a lot of people which is why it was more important than ever that New Tripoli Bank made sure local organizations had the resources they needed. This included donations to educational foundations, EMS companies, food pantries, fire companies, and historical societies, as well as sponsoring the many local events these organizations hold throughout the year. We hope you are proud of us and we thank all of our customers for their loyalty and confidence in us.

Here's a look back on a remarkable year of giving from New Tripoli Bank.