2021 News and Information

Honesdale, PA – The Honesdale National Bank was once again authorized to make approved contributions under the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. HNB designated $2,500 of their approved allotment to the Devereux Foundation. The funds, donated by HNB, will support individuals in all areas of life - from activities like Special Olympics to sensory-friendly spaces and advanced therapy.

HNB President & CEO David Raven stated, “The Devereux Foundation is an important organization in our community that continues to provide support to those in need.” He said, “We are glad that we can fund this program to continue to serve our area.”

Tina Skod, Executive Director, Devereux Foundation, said, “Despite a number of diagnoses and challenges among those we serve. Devereux remains committed to whole-person health.” She continued “This collaborative effort to promote both behavioral and physical wellness puts us at the fore front of the industry, bringing healthcare into the 21st century.”

Through innovative programs and therapeutic services, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health provides transformative healthcare and unmatched opportunity to some of the most vulnerable populations, including those with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral differences.  

Devereux Pennsylvania’s individualized, positive approaches to care enables the children and adults we serve to lead meaningful, productive lives. Services are focused in the areas of autism spectrum disorders, emotional and behavioral health challenges, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Across these programs, Devereux Pennsylvania supports more than 1,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Honesdale, PA – As The Honesdale National Bank celebrates 185 years of service this year, June 17 marks the Bank’s 25 Year Anniversary of the opening of its Forest City and Montdale and Office Locations.

HNB President & CEO, David Raven, stated, “HNB has been proud to serve the Forest City and Montdale areas and be partners in their rich sense of community and livelihood,” he said.  “Our aim is to support and provide the resources that support the needs and goals of their residents and businesses well into the future.”

The Bank acquired these offices from a local competitor in 1996,  enabling it the ability to provide improved access to the benefits of HNB’s community banking service philosophy and commitment to the local area. The locations offer full banking services under the direction of Melissa Rushworth is AVP, Branch Manager at the Forest City Office and Paulette Straka is AVP, Branch Manager/Loan Officer of the Montdale Office.

The Honesdale National Bank Forest City Office is located at 619 Main Street Forest City, PA. The Montdale Office is located at 13 Chapman Lake Road Scott Township, PA.

Honesdale, PA – The Honesdale National Bank was once again authorized to make approved contributions under the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. HNB designated $20,000 of their approved allotment to the missions of the Wayne County Public Library. The funds, donated by HNB, will support students with e-resources and virtual programming within the seven-library system including the following local libraries: Bethany, Hamlin, Hawley, Newfoundland, Northern Wayne, Pleasant Mount, and the WCPL (Honesdale).

Along with the e-resources, equipment will be purchased to provide virtual programming for those who cannot get to the library. Some resources include free online tutoring, online SAT/ACT classes, free access to the Get a Five program for those in Advanced Placement classes, hundreds of tutorials and videos, Learning Express Library, Teen Health & Wellness, Prenda Coding, and STEM Online Resources.

HNB President & CEO David Raven stated, “We are privileged to have the opportunity to provide local support to organizations like the Wayne County Public Library with funds through the EITC program.” He continued, “We are glad to see this contribution go towards program upgrades along with advancement of technology and resources.”

Tracy Schwarz, Wayne County Public Library Director, mentioned, “The Libraries are working hard to provide programming, equipment, and education to support student learning in creative new ways.” She said, “In Addition, we continue to purchase STEM materials, computers, equipment, and other collection materials to further the excitement and education of Wayne County’s students.”

Honesdale, PA – The Honesdale National Bank was once again authorized to make approved contributions under the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. HNB designated $3,000 of their approved allotment to the Abington Community Library. The funds, donated by HNB, will support K-12 educational opportunities.

HNB President & CEO, David Raven, stated, “Access to public libraries is important throughout the education of children and young adults.” He said, “We are excited to continue to serve our area by supporting this organization and contributing to their funding.”

Sandy Longo, Abington Community Library Executive Director, said, “This year has challenged everyone to find a new normal as we all continue to cope with the ongoing healthcare crisis. The Library is no exception. I am proud to share programming staff devised ways to continue engaging our K – 12 service population during this time through virtual learning platforms and kits!”

The Abington Community Library is part of the Lackawanna County Library System. The Library is located at 1200 West Grove Street in Clarks Summit, PA.

Honesdale, PA – David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Emily Barton, is now Deposit Operations Officer.

In making the statement, Raven noted, “Emily is a key member to the success of HNB. She is known for her professionalism and ability to problem solve while working closely with customers and internal staff at our bank.”

In her current role, Barton provides assistance with wire requests, new account information, organizing documentation, and many other processes in the Deposit Operations Department.

Barton has a variety of experience at the bank working as a CSR/Teller, Loan Operations Representative, Loan Operations Team Leader, Deposit Operations Supervisor, and she will continue to provide her knowledge in the industry to HNB as Deposit Operations Officer.

In mentioning her role at HNB, Barton noted, “I am grateful to be part of the HNB family. HNB has provided me many opportunities and I am very fortunate to be surrounded by people that support and encourage me to take on new challenges. My role as Deposit Operations Officer allows me to find new efficient ways to provide the service our customers expect.”

Barton graduated from Honesdale High School in 2014 and began her career in the financial industry with HNB. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Keystone College in 2018 and obtained the ABA’s Principles of Banking Certificate.

Outside of the bank, her spare time is occupied by skiing, hiking, gardening, and spending time with her family and dogs.

Honesdale, PA – David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Lisa Dowse, is now Vice President, Human Resource Officer.

In making the statement, Raven noted, “Lisa continues to play an important role in supporting and contributing to positive employee relations. She is recognized for her contribution in promoting numerous programs to promote the well-being of everyone involved in our bank.”

In her current role, Dowse provides support and service for employees regarding recruitment, payroll, benefits, along with many other functions in the Human Resources department. Throughout her career, she has attended the PA Bankers School of Banking and attended many webinars and seminars to advance her knowledge in the financial industry.

Dowse will continue to provide her expertise of over 27 years in the industry to HNB as VP, Human Resource Officer.

In mentioning her role at HNB, Dowse noted, “ I am happy to be a part of the HNB family and everything that it represents, I recently celebrated my 20th anniversary with HNB.”

Dowse is a graduate of Western Wayne High School. She is a participant in many local community events. She is a past board member of the Chamber of the Northern Poconos and also served as a Co-Chair on the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties funds distribution committee. She recently joined the Lake Ariel Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary. 

Outside of the bank, her spare time is spent with family, her daughter Marissa and grandchildren, Mason, Kamden and Kinley and working around her house.

Honesdale, PA – David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Brian Wilken, is now Vice President, Business Development Officer.

In making the statement, Raven noted, “Brian embodies the spirit and culture of our HNB team, and his contribution and support to our customers and community is second to none. He understands that our customers success translates to not only our bank, but our community as a whole.”

In his current role, Wilken provides the bank with business development opportunities and growth strategies involving our products, services, and business relations.

Wilken will continue to provide his experience of 12 years in the financial industry and a whole career in business development to HNB as VP, Business Development Officer.

In mentioning his role at HNB, Wilken noted, “This truly is such a rewarding career. I love my job, I get to help people wade through financial decisions every day. Helping their family or their business. I work for an institution that has made helping customers a priority for 185 years, and it’s an honor to carry on that legacy. I also have the privilege to work with an amazing group of people who truly care about customers, the community we serve, and each other.”

Wilken is a Honesdale native, graduating from Honesdale High and receiving an Associate’s Degree from SUNY Cobleskill. He is an active member of his community. He is a member of the Grace Ridge Church, President of the Greater Honesdale Partnership, board chairman of the Human Resources Foundation, Board member at Wayne Tomorrow, member of Honesdale Eagles, member of Honesdale Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons #218, member of the Anthony Wayne Royal Arch Chapter, member of the Savonia Comandry, and member of the Wayne Pike Shrine Club. 

Outside of the bank, he is the father of two young men, Ben and Zack, with his wife Emily Wilken. In his free time, he enjoys hunting and golfing.

Congratulations to Kate Bryant, SVP, Chief Financial Officer of The Honesdale National Bank! Kate has been recognized as one of the Business Journal's Top 25 Women in Northeastern Pennsylvania! The full article can be found at https://bit.ly/30qmaBa

Honesdale, PA – David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Greg Gula has been promoted to VP, Chief Credit Officer.

In making the statement, Raven noted, “Greg  has played a significant role in supporting the Bank’s asset quality and enabling the stability of our lending portfolio. We are confident that Greg will continue to contribute to a bright future for HNB and ensure excellent support for the needs of our customers.”

Prior to the promotion, Gula served as VP, Credit Administration Manager, managing credit related services to facilitate needs of bank employees and customers.

Gula began his career with HNB in 2010, and he will continue to mitigate the distribution of bank loans along with other tasks surrounding loan portfolio management in the department.

Commenting on his role at HNB, Gula noted, “Moving into this position affords me the opportunity to help move the bank forward, accepting new challenges and opportunities while remaining true to the solid foundation laid by my predecessors.”

Gula is a graduate of West Scranton High School and attended Penn State University.

In his 42 years of banking experience, he has worked mainly in the lending related areas of several regional banks. He has also completed numerous banking courses, training sessions and workshops. His profession allowed the attendance of seminars relating to commercial lending, financial statement analysis, loan documentation and loan loss reserve allowance calculations. 

The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.  The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions.  For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.

Honesdale, PA – The Honesdale National Bank Foundation extended its support to the community with a $10,000 donation to the Wayne Pike Trails & Waterways Alliance. The funds will specifically support the three river access projects along the Lackawaxen River in Honesdale and White Mills, and the grants submitted to the PA Fish & Boat Commission to improve those sites for anglers and paddlers.

HNB President & CEO David Raven stated, “The Foundation is pleased to support this project since it benefits all who choose to visit Honesdale and the surrounding area.” He then mentioned, “this development cares for our local economy, members of our community, recreational opportunities, and most importantly, our environment.”

The Wayne & Pike Trails & Waterways Alliance (WPTWA) is a group of people who envision an intercounty system of connected land and water trails. They believe that these trails will be truly life-changing for local residents, improving our quality of life, as well as inspiring for visitors and advantageous for our economy. The long-term vision has been called a legacy project, one that transforms our corner of Pennsylvania for generations to come, impacting our health and well-being, our natural assets, and our sense of history and community.

The Alliance is a consortium of four groups with a common goal. The Stourbridge Rail and Trail group, along with the Honesdale River Project and HonesTrails, the Wallenpaupack Trails, and Lock 31 Group.

The Honesdale National Bank Foundation is a 501(c)3 entity established by The Honesdale National Bank to engage in community giving initiatives that foster the area’s growth and resources as it has remained committed to since its founding in 1836. The Foundation’s aims to fulfill that mission through initiatives that support the sustainability and strengthening of resources and programming that make local communities thrive and remain desirable places to live, work, and play. The mission will be upheld through the provision of funding for public charities, institutions, schools and other not-for-profit organizations throughout our local area.

The Honesdale National Bank (HNB), established in 1836, is a subsidiary of Honat Bancorp, Inc. HNB holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.  The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions.  For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank. HNB is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID # 446237.

The Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy (PennCFL) provides to all students in grades 3-12 in Pennsylvania a world-class, web-based stock simulation platform and curriculum. Students can learn how to trade all year long by using the whole curriculum, courses, and more, including two ten-week competitions. The competitions are held in the classroom, by county and state-wide.

The platform provides lessons, assignments, and grading for seamless teacher management. The cutting-edge, real-time stock game is derived from Stock-Trak's University Platform, which is used in over 80% of the top business schools in the United States.

Teachers and students get access to our extensive experiential education teaching and learning tool designed by Stock-Trak, the world’s leading provider of investment portfolio simulations for colleges and schools. It offers an entire standards-aligned curriculum library and a distance learning-optimized lesson plan database which includes a Google Slides presentation library, teacher training webinars, a student video library, a full personal finance course and a teacher’s dashboard for student assignments, progress reports, and grading.

The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with twelve offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Luzerne Counties. The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions. For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.

Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy (PennCFL) is a 501(c)3 organization and approved by Pennsylvania's Department of Community & Economic Development as an Educational Improvement Organization. PennCFL sponsors financial competitions and entrepreneurial programs resulting in over 20,000 students in Pennsylvania. Training and support are provided to hundreds of teachers.

Our mission is to provide Pennsylvania’s K-12 students with economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship skills that elevate their standard of living, quality of life, and professional success. We showcase exceptional talent across the state, from business, education, and government.

Our nonprofit organization is passionate about teaching young people solid financial management skills. Pennsylvania is one of the most rural states in the country because it is largely made up of small towns and rural communities. Many families here struggle to make ends meet. Our goal is to break that pattern by instilling a firm sense of financial competency and responsibility in the next generation.
Our goal is to be the leader in K-12 financial literacy and entrepreneurship education. For additional information, please contact Alan Dakey, President at ADakey@penncfl.org or Carolyn Shirk, Vice President CShirk@penncfl.org, call 570-975-5149 or visit us at www.penncfl.org.