Trust & Investment Center Staff Profiles
 

Management
Business Development
Trust & Estate Administration Department
Investment Services Department
Private Banking Services
Retirement Services Group

Management & Business Development

Melinda Sartori
Executive Vice President, Trust & Investment Services Division Manager

Melinda has been the Executive Vice President / Manager of the Trust & Investment
Services Division since 2002.  She began her career at Chemung Canal in 1994 in
the Commercial Loan Division and was elected Assistant Vice President and
Sales Manager in 1996.  In 1999, Mrs. Sartori took the position of Client Services
Division Manager and was elected Senior Vice President.  Mrs. Sartori is a graduate
of Widener College and the American Banker's Association Stonier Graduate School
of Banking.  She currently serves on the NTBA Board of Directors and is Vice Chair
for the New York State Bankers Association's Trust & Investment Division.

 
Bradley S. Eaton
Senior Vice President / Regional Trust Manager - Binghamton

Bradley S. Eaton joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 2009, bringing over fifteen
years of experience in the financial services field to the Greater Binghamton Trust &
Investment Center.  Mr. Eaton previously worked at M&T Investment Group as a
Vice President/Senior Portfolio Manager servicing the Upstate New York Region.  Prior to
this, he worked at BSB Bank & Trust Co. as an Assistant Vice President/Trust Investment
Officer and at State Employees Federal Credit Union as the Director of Investments.   
Mr. Eaton earned a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo and an MBA from SUNY Albany.   He is
also a graduate of NYS Bankers Investment School and the Broome Leadership Institute/Broome
County Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Eaton currently serves as a member of the Broome County United Way
Joint Bank Investment Subcommittee.

 

Alex A. Gilliam
Vice President / Business Development Officer

Alex “Pat” A. Gilliam joined the Trust and Investment Center as the Business
Development Officer in February 2005.  His career at Chemung Canal began
in 1970 in the Bookkeeping Department and following 2 years in the US Army,
he returned to Chemung Canal’s Professional Management Trainee Program
in 1973.  In 1987, Mr. Gilliam was appointed Manager of the Main Office and
was elected Assistant Treasurer.  Promoted to Assistant Vice President in 1989,
he served as Manager of several Branch Offices before being named Regional
Manager of the Steuben Region in 1998.  Mr. Gilliam was promoted to
Vice President in 2000.  He graduated from the Management School for Career Development at
West Point in 1986.  He currently serves as a board member and Finance Minister of the
Faith Temple Community Church.

Larry G. Denniston
Vice President / Business Development Officer - Binghamton

Larry G. Denniston joined Chemung Canal in 2005 as Vice President
responsible for business development in the greater-Binghamton region. 
He has thirty-five years of banking experience, including seventeen years
in trust investment experience, all of them within the Binghamton area. 
He worked for BSB Bank & Trust Company from 1983 through 2004, serving
as Senior Vice President since 1996.  While with that company, Mr. Denniston
was responsible for establishing its Trust Department.  From 1970 through 1983,
he was a senior investment officer for the trust department of Marine Midland
Trust Company and served as manager of its central-New York investment division and was a member
of the company’s New York State investment policy committee.  Mr. Denniston is a member of the
New York Society of Security Analysts.  He earned a B.A. in Finance from S.U.N.Y. at Albany.   He currently
serves as Director of the Binghamton Housing Authority, Director and Treasurer of the
Broome County Council of Churches, Director of the Binghamton Downtown Singers, Inc., and
Director of the Binghamton Rotary Club.

Trust & Estate Administration Department

Catherine B. Crandall
Vice President / Sr. Trust Officer

Catherine Crandall joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 2008 as Vice
President / Sr. Trust Officer of the Trust & Estate Administration Department
and was named Department Manager in 2009.  Ms. Crandall previously worked
for Registered Investment Advisor John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. as an
Account Executive and Chief Compliance Officer.  She is licensed to practice law
in New York, having earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Albany Law School and
Union University, an LLM from Columbia University Law School, an LLM in Taxation
from New York University School of Law, an M.B.A. from the University of Rochester -
William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, and a B.A. from St. Lawrence University. 
In addition, Ms. Crandall had attended Cannon Trust I and II School and is a Certified Financial Planner^TM.

Douglas F. Bissonette
Vice President / Sr. Trust Officer

Douglas F. Bissonette joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 1997 as a
Vice President/Trust Officer and was promoted to Sr. Trust Officer in 2001. 
Mr. Bissonette has thirty years of trust experience.  He previously worked for HSBC Bank
as a Vice President/Sr. Trust Officer where he was responsible for providing Estate & Trust
services in the Southern Tier of NY.  He earned a B.S. in Business Administration/Accounting
from Canisius College and is a graduate of NYS Bankers Estate Administration,
Trust Administration, Sales and Tax schools. He presently serves on the NYS Bankers
Trust & Estate Administration School Committee and the NYS Bankers Legislative
Committee, as well as serving on the boards of The Bassett Youth Foundation and WSKG Public Television.

Leslie J. Distin
Vice President / Trust Officer - Binghamton

Leslie J. Distin joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in May 2007 having previously
worked at Partners Trust Bank (formerly BSB Bank & Trust Company) where he
managed the Trust Operations and Tax and Retirement areas.  He has over
twenty-three years of experience in the trust and employee benefits field, earning
his designation as a Certified Retirement Services Professional.  Prior to joining
BSB Bank & Trust Company, he worked for Chase Lincoln-First Bank, as Assistant
Vice President Pension/Trust area. Mr. Distin earned a B.S. from Cornell University
and is also a graduate of the NYS Bankers Trust and Estate Administration Schools. 
He currently serves as a board member and Treasurer for Twin Tiers Home Health and for Professional
Home Care.

Pamela A. Kelley
Vice President / Trust Officer - Binghamton

Pamela A. Kelley joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in May 2007 and brings with
her twenty-five years experience in the banking and financial services field.  Prior to
joining the Trust Department at Partners Trust Bank (formerly BSB Bank &
Trust Company) in 1991, Mrs. Kelley was the Vice President and Manager of BSB
Financial Services Department.  She is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College
and Fairfield University’s National School of Banking.  Mrs. Kelley is also a graduate
of the NYS Bankers Trust and Estate Administration Schools.
 

Nancy J. Battersby
Vice President / Trust Officer

Nancy J. Battersby has been an Assistant Vice President/Trust Officer of the Trust &
Estate Administration Department since 2003.  She has been with Chemung Canal
for 35 years, holding several positions in the Commercial area prior to joining the
Trust Department.  Mrs. Battersby was elected Assistant Treasurer in 1994 and
was elected Assistant Vice President in 2000.  She is a graduate of NYS Bankers
Estate Administration & Trust Administration schools.

Gary K. Earley
Assistant Vice President / Trust Officer

Gary K. Earley joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 2006 as a Trust Administrator
and was elected Assistant Vice President in 2007.  Mr. Earley previously worked at
Corning Natural Gas Corp. in the position of Treasurer and prior to that as the Accounting
Manager at Hardinge, Inc.   He earned a B.S from St. John Fisher College and is a
graduate of NYS Bankers Trust & Estate Administration School.  Mr. Earley serves as a
board member and Treasurer of the Chemung County Christian Youth Organization
and as a board member of the Dewittsburgh Housing Development Fund Corp.

Investment Services Department

THOMAS W. WIRTH, CFA, SR. VICE PRESIDENT / SR. INVESTMENT OFFICER

Thomas W. Wirth, CFA
Senior Vice President / Sr. Investment Officer

Thomas W. Wirth has been the Investment Services Department Manager / Senior
Investment Officer of the Investment Division at Chemung Canal Trust Company since
1999 and was promoted in 2004 to Sr. Vice President.  He began his career at
Chemung Canal in 1987 in the Management Trainee Program, joined the Investment
Department in 1990 as a Portfolio Manager and was elected Trust Investment Officer
in 1993.  In 1996, he became the Finance/Asset/Liability Manager and Bank Portfolio
Manager and was elected Assistant Vice President.  In 1998, he was elected Vice
President and in 1999 returned to the Investment Department in his current position.  
Mr. Wirth is a Chartered Financial Analyst and earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Wake Forest
University.  He currently serves as a board member and Vice President of the Arnot Art Museum and is
Chair of the Board of Trustees for Notre Dame High School.

Michael D. Blatt, CFA
Vice President

Michael D. Blatt joined the Bank in 1999 as a Research / Portfolio Manager, was elected
Assistant Vice President in 2000, and was promoted to Vice-President / Senior
Investment Officer in 2005.  Mr. Blatt has fifteen years in analytical and investment
experience. His key responsibilities include recommending and monitoring stocks
for the Guidance List in addition to managing client accounts. He previously worked
for Registered Investment Advisor John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc. as an Account
Executive and Jordan Gary & Assoc. where he was responsible for marketing, portfolio
selection and management, trading and preparing financial plans.  He is a Chartered
Financial Analyst and earned his B.S. in Finance from Penn State and M.B.A. from Duke University – Fuqua
School of Business. Mr. Blatt currently serves as Foundation Chair for the Bath Rotary Club and is a
member of the United Way of Central Steuben Cabinet.

 

Christopher B. Loughridge
Vice President

Christopher B. Loughridge joined Chemung Canal in May of 2007 as a Vice President
and Research/Portfolio Manager.  He previously worked for Partners Trust Bank, most
recently as a Vice President and Trust Investment Officer.  Prior to that Mr. Loughridge
served as the Assistant Treasurer managing the bank portfolio and also as an
Assistant Vice President in Secondary Marketing.  He has also served as an adjunct
instructor of Economics and Money & Banking at Broome Community College. 
Mr. Loughridge earned his B.A. in Economics from Wofford College, is an honors
graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Georgetown University, and
is a graduate of NYS Bankers Trust & Estate Administration School.  Mr. Loughridge currently serves on
the Board of Directors of Metro Interfaith Services.

Michael S. Lares
Vice President

Michael S. Lares joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in January 2004 as a
Research / Portfolio Manager and was elected Assistant Vice President in 2005.  
He previously worked for Information Builders, Inc. in New York City where his
responsibilities included Corporate Portfolio & Treasury Management.  Prior to this,
Mr. Lares worked in the publishing and entertainment industries, where his duties
included auditing and licensing/royalty management.  He earned a B.A. in Business
Economics from SUNY Oneonta, an M.B.A. in Finance from St. John’s University -
Tobin College of Business, and is a graduate of NYS Bankers Trust Investment
School.   He currently serves as a board member and Treasurer for Chemung County Historical
Society and a Renovation Continuing Committee member of St. Mary’s Church.

Eileen M. McCarthy
Assistant Vice President / Trust & Investment Administrative Services Manager

Eileen M. McCarthy joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 1995 as an
Investment Services Administrator, was promoted to Investment Services Manager
in 1999, Trust & Investment Administrative Services Manager in 2003 and was
elected Assistant Vice President in 2004.  She is responsible for managing the
securities trading area and also actively assists in account management, compiles
investment portfolio performance data and has various responsibilities relating to
client needs and requests.  Prior to her employment at CCTC, Ms. McCarthy worked
for Kenda Systems, Inc. in New York City and Elmira Downtown Development. 
She earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Nazareth College of Rochester and is a graduate
of NYS Bankers Trust Investment School.  Ms. McCarthy currently sits on SunGard’s Administrative
Advisory Board, St. Mary Our Mother School Board and the Chemung County Human Relations Commission.

John H. Brand
Assistant Treasurer / Assistant Portfolio Manager

John Brand joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in December of 2005 and was
elected Assistant Treasurer in 2009.  Mr. Brand assists in researching and compiling
historical data to aid in portfolio analysis.  Additionally, he is responsible for the
oversight of various Individual Retirement Accounts.  He previously worked in
New York City for Credit Suisse First Boston Direct as an Account Services
Representative and for Dealogic as an Equity Syndication Analyst.   Mr. Brand
earned his B.A. in Economics from Hamilton College and is a graduate of
New York State Bankers Trust Investment School. 
He currently serves as a board member of the Arnot Realty Corp.

Private Banking Services

J. Edmond Morton, IV
Vice President & Private Banker

Our Private Banking Services are coordinated by J. Edmond Morton, IV. 
Ed joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in October 2009 and has been
instrumental in creating this new service for our clients. Ed is a native of Owego, NY
and is a graduate of Cornell University. With more than 15 years experience in
the financial services industry, he spent the last decade focusing on private banking
and wealth management in the Philadelphia area working for Mellon Bank,
Bank of America and Sovereign Bank. Ed is a graduate of Leadership Tompkins
and is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Tompkins County.

Retirement Services Group

Larry W. Rudawsky
Vice President / Retirement Services Manager

Larry W. Rudawsky joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 2006 as Vice President. 
As Retirement Services Manager, he is responsible for meeting the employee
benefits administration needs of clients and also for insuring compliance with
both internal operating policies and procedures and external regulatory requirements. 
Mr. Rudawsky has twenty-six years experience in the retirement plan industry having
previously worked for UMB Bank, n.a., Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston, Ltd., and also
New England Financial.  He is licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Ohio,
having earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University and
his B.A. from Kent State University.  Mr. Rudawsky is a member of the American Bar Association and WEB
Network of Benefits Professionals.
 

Kerry L. Oetting
Assistant Vice President / Sr. Retirement Plan Manager

Kerry L. Oetting joined Chemung Canal Trust Company in 2002 as a Plan Administrator,
was promoted to Senior Retirement Plan Manager in 2004, and in 2005 was elected
Assistant Vice President.  Ms. Oetting has over ten years experience in the retirement
plan industry.  Prior to her employment at CCTC, Ms. Oetting worked for Actuarial
Consulting Group in Ridgefield, CT.  She earned her B.A. degree, with Honors,
from Binghamton University and has also earned three professional designations
through the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA): 
Certified Pension Consultant (CPC), Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA),
and Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA).   Ms. Oetting currently serves as a Technical Education
Consultant for ASPPA’s Education & Examination Committee.