NBT Bank welcomed Lidia De Jesus as Affordable Housing Originator and Dale Josephson as Secondary Market and Construction Risk Manager. De Jesus and Josephson are based at NBT’s Capital Region Financial Center on Wolf Road in Albany.
In her new role, De Jesus acts as a primary contact for nonprofit housing partners who manage grant programs and educational seminars for first-time homebuyers. She is also responsible for originating residential mortgage loans, with an emphasis on affordable housing products.
De Jesus previously held roles as a branch manager and loan officer. She will graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Empire State University in 2024. Active in her community, she serves as a board member with the Friends and Foundation of Albany Public Library.
In his new role, Josephson manages interest rate risk through daily pricing and loan sales execution to various secondary mortgage market and private investors. He also evaluates residential construction loan risk and manages the home builder contract and vetting process for the bank.
Josephson has more than six years of experience as a secondary market specialist. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, Culverhouse College of Commerce. Active in his community, he has volunteered with Men Go Red for the American Heart Association.
***
Fenimore Asset Management, an independent, Capital Region-based investment advisory firm and manager of the FAM Funds family of mutual funds, announces that business leader Gary Dake has joined its board of directors.
Mr. Dake is President of Stewart’s Shops Corporation. Stewart’s is a large, privately owned, and vertically integrated chain of convenience stores and gas stations with more than 355 shops in New York and Vermont. Mr. Dake is an accomplished and acclaimed leader who heads a team of more than 5,000 partners (employees). These partners own more than 40% of the company through their Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Employed at Stewart’s since 1985, he holds a BA in Economics from St. Lawrence University.
“Gary is a well-respected and admired leader both within his company and throughout the Capital Region community,” said Tom Putnam, Founder and Executive Chairman of Fenimore Asset Management. “His integrity, expertise, success, and entrepreneurial spirit should benefit our investors over the long term.”
In addition to his extensive business career, Mr. Dake is very active as a community leader and Stewart’s Shops is dedicated to community giving and support. Between the company, Dake family foundations, and Stewart’s “Holiday Match Program,” millions of dollars have been donated to thousands of local charities. Mr. Dake is also the founder of the Dake Foundation for Children. The nonprofit was established “to provide opportunities for children with disabilities to enjoy more independence, inclusion, and fun.”
Founded in 1974, Fenimore Asset Management is an independent, nationally recognized investment manager with more than $4.12 billion in assets under management (as of September 30, 2023) through its Cobleskill and Albany offices. The firm’s team focuses on in-depth research, investing in the stocks of carefully selected quality businesses, and providing its investors with highly personalized investment services. Fenimore offers both individually managed portfolios and a family of mutual funds (FAM Funds) that can be used for retirement and other long-term investment planning.