Community Bank System appoints Knauss as new independent director

DeWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) recently announced it has appointed Jeffery (Jeff) Knauss to its board of directors as a new independent director. 

His election expands the banking company’s board to 13 directors, 12 of whom are independent. Knauss was also appointed to the board of directors of Community Bank, N.A., the company’s wholly owned banking subsidiary. He will serve on the company’s risk and governance committees and as the board’s representative to the company’s technology committee.

Knauss has extensive experience in digital marketing and technology development, having served as the CEO and co-founder of Digital Hyve, a Syracuse–based digital marketing and advertising firm. It was named the 52nd fastest growing private company in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine in 2018 and has remained on Inc.’s 5,000, a list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S., for the following three years. Knauss and his business partner, Jake Tanner, sold Digital Hyve to Butler/Till, a Rochester–based women-owned, employee-owned, marketing agency, in June. 

Knauss also has significant entrepreneurial experience with numerous startup ventures and as an angel investor to several companies. He currently is an investor in several businesses including food-service firms and startups focused on medical research, professional networking, e-commerce platforms, and mobile-payment apps.

“We are pleased to welcome Jeff Knauss as a new independent director to the Board of Directors of Community Bank System, Inc. and Community Bank, N.A.,” said Sally A. Steele, chair of the board of directors. “His knowledge of the digital technology sector and entrepreneurial experience will be an asset to the Board during this age of digital commerce and we look forward to his contributions in the areas of marketing, technology development, and business matters.”

Mark E. Tryniski, president and CEO of Community Bank System, added this comment: “Adding Jeff to our Board of Directors is an exciting opportunity because he will bring new energy and innovative ideas as we continue our transition to digital platforms in our operations and delivery of financial services. His experience in the areas of digital technology, cyber security, consumer-centric marketing, entrepreneurship, and forward-looking perspective, will be an asset as we continue to utilize technology to effectively serve our customers.”

Prior to Digital Hyve, Knauss was an advertising account executive and sales manager with national-affiliated broadcast stations in Central New York and with a media group providing marketing strategies for internet and mobile applications. 

Knauss graduated from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, with a concentration in marketing. Knauss lives in Central New York, which is a key geographic region for Community Bank System and devotes substantial time and energy to nonprofit organizations and initiatives to benefit these communities. He is currently a member of the board of directors of CenterState CEO, the Onondaga Community College Foundation, the Loretto Foundation, the SUNY Oswego Foundation, and the United Way of CNY. Since 2016, Knauss has served on the board of directors of Byrne Dairy, Inc., a producer and distributor of dairy products based in Central New York.

Community Bank operates more than 215 branches across upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and western Massachusetts. With assets of more than $15.3 billion, the DeWitt–headquartered company is among the country’s 125 largest banking institutions.