Larry Levine of Peapack-Gladstone Bank is Appointe

BEDMINSTER, NJ--(Marketwired - Mar 30, 2017) - Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation ( NASDAQ : PGC ) and Peapack-Gladstone Bank announce that Lawrence (Larry) Levine, Director of Client Experience, has been appointed to the Rutgers Customer Experience Advisory Board at the Rutgers Center for Innovation Education. The Rutgers Advisory Board is comprised of a diverse, innovative and well-connected network of top-flight executives based upon their personal and professional accomplishments. Mr. Levine joined Peapack-Gladstone Bank in 2015 and has played a key role in finding ways to continually enhance the Bank's delivery of an exceptional client experience. "Providing a superb client experience is the foundation of our success at Peapack-Gladstone Bank," said Larry. "I am excited to share my knowledge and insight to help advance this fabulous program at Rutgers."

Previously, Mr. Levine spent over 25 years at Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank and NatWest Bank where he was responsible for building and directing client services, support services, and operations organizations. Throughout his tenures and in each assignment, Larry's focus centered on developing or enhancing the service quality culture, building internal partnerships, chairing client experience task forces dedicated to delivering ongoing service improvements and developing a "best in class" employee experience. He is passionate about helping others and has volunteered his time as a mentor to executives both inside and outside the financial services industry. In 2016, Mr. Levine also delivered the keynote address at a major student event at William Paterson University where he discussed the steps that every business can take to enhance the client experience.

Through his newly appointed position on the Rutgers Customer Experience Advisory Board, Mr. Levine will provide input to the program faculty and leadership through classroom visits, forums and conferences, and will actively participate in student coaching opportunities. The Board supports the attendees of the Rutgers Customer Experience Certificate Program who are immersed in an intensive, collaborative and educational environment, learning to apply principles and techniques that drive customer experience innovation. Larry said, "It is important to understand that everyone in an organization is responsible for that firm's client experience. Therefore, every organization is filled with candidates to attend this program and to help make a superb client experience a reality."

Levine states, "Perfecting the client experience is not a destination with a start and a finish. It is a journey that is ongoing, and the most successful organizations recognize this and make it a top priority." Peapack-Gladstone Bank's dedication and commitment toward supporting quality education in all areas of education and industry shows in its continued outreach efforts by key personnel. In a recent podcast interview with CenterState Bank, Larry discussed the client experience journey at Peapack-Gladstone Bank and how that is paying off in high satisfaction levels, referrals, and in profitability growth. To hear about the Bank's approach, philosophy and commitment to client satisfaction, you can listen to Larry's podcast interview, "The Client Experience with Peapack-Gladstone Bank," by visiting Peapack-Gladstone Bank's website at www.pgbank.com/what-we-think/all-banking-should-be-private-banking .

Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation is a New Jersey bank holding company with total assets of $3.88 billion as of December 31, 2016. Founded in 1921, Peapack-Gladstone Bank is a commercial bank that provides innovative private banking services to businesses, real estate professionals, non-profits and consumers, which help them to establish, maintain and expand their legacy. Through its private banking locations in Bedminster, Morristown, Princeton and Teaneck, its private wealth management, commercial private banking, retail private banking and residential lending divisions, along with its online platforms, Peapack-Gladstone Bank offers an unparalleled commitment to client service.