We applied for a PPP loan with our local bank like so many other businesses. Our bank, Empire National Bank whose corporate headquarters are located in Islandia, NY is a small local bank with only 4 branches throughout Long Island. They are supposedly being bought out by Flushing bank. We submitted the requested documentation and received an application number as well as an SBA approval number, the two things that you need to get funded. This was the 1st go around of funding. As a small business we need this funding to survive as we have not laid off 1 employee.
Unfortunately, the banks seem to be giving their bigger customers the loans first because they are only allocated so much money. By doing this, they are eating up the funds and a small business such as ours is put to the side and it feels as though we don’t count.
I am very discouraged how these banks keep getting away with this. Back in 2008 banks received money from the government to lend out to customers and they didn’t. Now they received this money, which they have no recourse on and continue to make money on, and they seem to be picking and choosing who gets these funds once again.
I was told by the Senior Vice President & Chief Lending Officer of Empire National Bank, Rob Schepis, that we were not eligible for this loan, after giving them what we thought was all the necessary documentation, and still my loan was denied. I was told by Mr. Schepis “I can't prove your eligibility and don't want to get into a situation where I'm fighting with the CEO on this. We can't be stuck with a loan that isn't guaranteed because it didn’t meet the requirements.”
Recently, I sent the CEO, Douglas C. Manditch and bank President, Thomas M. Buonaiuto an email containing an article on how small banks are here for their customers in this time of need. What did I get? Not even a response from any of them. Why is my bank not here for me? How do we let banks like Empire National Bank get away with this? No one stands up to them and during this time of need, the banks continue to make money, all they are doing is deferring loans and still booking the profits. Their survival is far from ours. At this point I am sure I will get registered letters throwing me out, because they can’t handle the pressure of doing the right thing, instead they just get rid of you. Time will only tell.
Please help us fight against these banks as so many people such as myself have been going through this. We are only trying to survive as the rich get richer.
Empire National Bank Reviews
We applied for a PPP loan with our local bank like so many other businesses. Our bank, Empire National Bank whose corporate headquarters are located in Islandia, NY is a small local bank with only 4 branches throughout Long Island. They are supposedly being bought out by Flushing bank. We submitted the requested documentation and received an application number as well as an SBA approval number, the two things that you need to get funded. This was the 1st go around of funding. As a small business we need this funding to survive as we have not laid off 1 employee.
Unfortunately, the banks seem to be giving their bigger customers the loans first because they are only allocated so much money. By doing this, they are eating up the funds and a small business such as ours is put to the side and it feels as though we don’t count.
I am very discouraged how these banks keep getting away with this. Back in 2008 banks received money from the government to lend out to customers and they didn’t. Now they received this money, which they have no recourse on and continue to make money on, and they seem to be picking and choosing who gets these funds once again.
I was told by the Senior Vice President & Chief Lending Officer of Empire National Bank, Rob Schepis, that we were not eligible for this loan, after giving them what we thought was all the necessary documentation, and still my loan was denied. I was told by Mr. Schepis “I can't prove your eligibility and don't want to get into a situation where I'm fighting with the CEO on this. We can't be stuck with a loan that isn't guaranteed because it didn’t meet the requirements.”
Recently, I sent the CEO, Douglas C. Manditch and bank President, Thomas M. Buonaiuto an email containing an article on how small banks are here for their customers in this time of need. What did I get? Not even a response from any of them. Why is my bank not here for me? How do we let banks like Empire National Bank get away with this? No one stands up to them and during this time of need, the banks continue to make money, all they are doing is deferring loans and still booking the profits. Their survival is far from ours. At this point I am sure I will get registered letters throwing me out, because they can’t handle the pressure of doing the right thing, instead they just get rid of you. Time will only tell.
Please help us fight against these banks as so many people such as myself have been going through this. We are only trying to survive as the rich get richer.
Coast 2 Coast Restoration LLC