Business Testimonial
Van Horn Jewelers
Crafting a Family and Community Legacy
“My Dad started banking with Tioga State Bank around 1975. I joined the business in 1978, and we’ve been with TSB since, for all our business AND personal banking. With Madison as store manager, this marks three generations of Van Horn Jewelers with TSB.”
In the heart of Owego’s Lake Street downtown business district sits a family-owned jewelry store with a gem of a story. Since 1958, the Hornick family has helped customers celebrate major milestones of life, from christenings to engagements, from birthdays to anniversaries, and every special occasion in between. Van Horn Jewelers is a community treasure. Owner Skip Hornick, like his dad before him, has trusted TSB with his business since 1975. For checking, savings, mortgage, home equity and business loans, Skip and his family have relied on TSB.
“For Van Horn it’s all about integrity, trust and treating people well. TSB has the same values and delivers the best customer service.” – Madison
Selling jewelry is as much about building relationships as it is about designing rings and pendants. TSB is also in the relationship business. Whereas Van Horn crafts custom jewelry, TSB creates financial solutions tailored to each customer. Madison says, “I’m not just an account number with TSB; it’s a personal relationship, a friendship.” She and TSB Owego Office Manager Melissa Cavataio-Boland do business with each other, but they also work out at the same gym in town. It’s something that is important to both of them: living and working in a community where people know one another and look out for each other.
“TSB is awesome; we could not have started or grown my company without their support.”
I started VTI with a single machine in my dad’s barn. I went to TSB in 1986 for a line of credit to build more, and the rest is history. We did try a large, international bank one time. It went okay at first, but when times got tough, things did not go so well with that bank. I went back to TSB and have been with them ever since. Being with the local community bank has been a Godsend for us. It’s really made all the difference to build a relationship there, to know the people, and to know that they have our back. We go to the bank with an idea or project, for example a new “Cobot” (robot that works with a person to improve productivity). The bank will look at it and see how it will save us manual labor, and they’ll finance it. They have even partnered with other banks when we needed very large amounts of capital to build our new addition. TSB finds creative solutions to our problems, and we appreciate that about them.
“TSB helps us live life by taking away the financial stress of running a business. So, we can focus on designing and selling jewelry and building relationships with our customers.” – Skip
Skip credits TSB with being there for the family and the business all the way. “The bank is a calming force in the storms of business and of life,” he says. And the Hornicks have seen some storms, literally with flooding and figuratively with recessions and a pandemic, on top of the normal ebbs and flows in the life of a retailer. Jon Ward, VP Commercial Services Officer, has always been there when Skip needed help, whether it be business financing or an invite to one of the many community events the bank sponsors. “TSB is a rock in the Owego business community, supporting organizations, families and the community in so many ways,” Skip says.
“I opened my first TSB savings account when I was in high school. I LOVE my TSB Debit Card!” – Madison
An old soul, despite her relative youth, Madison is aware of TSB’s new Interactive Teller Machines but has not tried one yet. She says, “I’m old school. I’d rather work with customers in person, face to face. I like that TSB brings that same philosophy to us. They listen, they make recommendations, and they let us decide what’s right for our family and the business. I do LOVE my TSB debit card. Maybe a little too much,” she says with a laugh and a big smile.
If you would like to open an account, have any questions, or want to learn more…
Tioga State Bank’s Commercial Account Specialists are here to help. Contact us online, by phone at 888-303-4TSB or visiting us at a TSB office location.