SEAL BEACH, Calif. - (Business Wire) Farmers & Merchants Bank (
www.fmb.com) today announced the opening of a 60,000 square-foot Customer Care Center in Seal Beach that brings technological innovations coupled with an eco-friendly environment to the Bank.
The new center, with approximately 150 employees who previously worked at separate F&M facilities, has state-of-the-art features that enhance F&M’s online outreach and expands individual and corporate banking services.
“We are very excited about our new Customer Care Center for several reasons,” said Daniel Walker, president and chairman of the board at Farmers & Merchants Bank. “First, bringing these F&M team members together to work under the same roof provides efficiency that is good for the Bank, its employees and its customers.
“Second, the eco-friendly environment allows us to put into action our belief in green practices and sustainability. And third, during these troubling times in the banking world, we are pleased we can bring even more confidence to our customers through this new Customer Care Center.”
The new facility provides a new cash center that enables bulk handling of currency and coin in a concentrated facility. There is a central support center for corporate cash management, audit and credit review, credit card and merchant card services, and warehousing and distribution. Other bank support teams now housed at the Customer Care Center include branch telephone and online services, data and systems support, and the bank’s learning and employee development department.
In addition to the Customer Care Center’s innovative technology, Walker worked with Interior Office Solutions to create an environmentally friendly workplace with increased sustainability. The building includes modular walls, a feature that reduces landfill waste, and TecCrete raised floors that allow for “under floor” airflow management. Instead of heating or cooling 100 percent of the air in the building, air is released from the floor, managing temperatures through individual swirl diffusers, and using less energy and ductwork than traditional HVAC systems.
“F&M is absolutely walking the sustainability walk,” said Jackie McGrath, business development manager at Interior Office Solutions. “These green implementations are a testament to their belief that sustainability in the workplace is not just a matter of common sense, but of corporate responsibility.”
Other eco-friendly initiatives in the Customer Care Center include furniture made with materials from managed forests, the utilization of soy ink, and a comprehensive recycling program. According to McGrath, F&M meets all of the qualifications to be LEED certified.
“Our company culture has always been to lead by example. Farmers & Merchants is a bank first, but social and environmental accountability are an important aspect of serving both our clients, employees and our community,” said Daniel Walker.
About Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach
Founded in Long Beach in 1907 by C.J. Walker, Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach has 22 branches in L.A. and Orange counties. The Bank specializes in commercial and small business banking along with business loan programs up to $35 million. The Bank is one of the strongest banks in the country measured by a variety of industry measurements. Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach is a California state chartered bank with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).
For more information about F&M, please call the media contacts listed below or visit the website, www.fmb.com.
F&M Contact
Jerry Harpstrite, 562-437-0011
Jerry.Harpstrite@fmb.com
or
Media Contact
HKA, Inc.
Robyn Williams, 714-426-0444
robyn@hkamarcom.com
or
Investor Contact
PondelWilkinson Inc.
Evan Pondel/Angie Yang, 310-279-5980
investor@pondel.com
