Profile: Andy Mahoney trusts the four Ps as the fire-tending, hunter-gathering force for Cambridge Trust, his community, and RMA

RMA Journal, The, April, 2004 by Carol McGinn

If you can recall a time when the commercial loan officer was a true relationship manager, when he or she did everything from prospecting to maintaining and servicing the account, when authority for that loan might even have come into play, you might be describing Andy Mahoney's current job at the $675 million Cambridge Trust Company.

Mahoney is a community banker, a self-described "hunter-gatherer" at the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based bank, where he is vice president and the sole commercial lender in the bank's Concord branch. His target market is small business and the lower end of the middle market--essentially, companies with $25 million in sales or less, "where there's plenty of competition for the business," he adds.

"If you're just looking for the cheapest rate on the street, then we' re probably not the right 'fit' for you," Mahoney says. "While our rates are competitive, it is our seasoned bankers delivering a high level of personal attention that gives value to the customer. The value of that relationship becomes most evident when there is an unanticipated 'event' that has an adverse impact on the business. That's when the work you've put into building a relationship pays off."

Mahoney is his customer's main contact at the bank for everything. He is the credit department. He has loan authority. He is one of the first persons customers see when they walk in the bank. He's accessible. He's even in charge of keeping the fire lit in the bank's real fireplace--no Duraflame here.

"I don't want to sound like a one-man show," he laughs. "I do bounce ideas off the senior lender or my peers in the other branches. It's not that we don't think about risk. It's just that our risk management procedures are simpler--approval signatures from the senior lender and the CEO. Furthermore, having a relatively flat organizational structure enables our customers to get to know the ultimate decision makers. If I want the CEO to visit a client with me, I just call and ask, and it's done."

However, working in a community bank doesn't mean Mahoney doesn't use some of the skills he's acquired over his 20-year banking career. "I call them the four Ps," he says. "Patience, persistence, preparedness, and promotion. I use them all every day, internally and externally."

Community Involvement

Working at a community bank does mean community involvement. Mahoney is treasurer for the local soccer association and is a board member for several nonprofit associations. "We're a community bank that invests in the community," he says. "We know our customers, their needs, and their families."

He also is very involved with the local RMA chapter, serving as president this year after rotating through the chairs. "I've learned a lot from my RMA experience and formed some great relationships," Mahoney says. "For sure I've developed skills I wouldn't ordinarily use in my job, such as public speaking, succession planning, and marketing, but there's more to it.

"I've also learned how to surround myself with great people. And for a hunter-gatherer like myself who is used to working solo, that can be a refreshing experience!"

McGinn is a Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania-based freelance writer and desktop publisher specializing in financial and business topics.