Harmony Bank recently celebrated the first anniversary of its Cedars location at 1900 S. Ervay Street, bringing together customers, community leaders and neighbors for an evening centered on relationships, local investment and the bank’s growing presence in southern Dallas.
The celebration featured local artists and members of the community, but one of the evening’s most notable moments came as Harmony Bank’s CEO reflected on the increased attention financial institutions are placing on communities south of Interstate 30.
“I saw a news article the other day about banks investing below 30… well, we’ve BEEN down here for eight years. Doing the work of investing in the community.” – Harmony Bank’s CEO is William E. “Bill” Lowe
The comment underscored a central theme of the anniversary celebration: for Harmony Bank, community banking is intended to extend beyond simply maintaining a physical location.
That message continued when the CEO handed the microphone to Marino “Mo Money” Orlandi, Vice President at Harmony Bank, who spoke about the relationships the bank has developed with its clients and community partners.
Harmony Bank then put a tangible number behind that commitment, presenting a $1,500 donation to longtime bank client Cornerstone Church.
Representing Cornerstone Church, Pastor Chris spoke about the congregation’s experience banking with Harmony and highlighted something increasingly uncommon in an era of automated customer service: accessibility.
He described Harmony Bank as an institution where customers can still pick up the phone and reach someone willing to confirm a transaction, answer a question or help resolve an issue. For him, that “old-school customer service” has become one of the qualities he values most about the relationship.
Banking Built Around Relationships
The anniversary comes at a significant moment for southern Dallas, where conversations surrounding economic development, housing, small-business growth and access to capital continue to shape the future of neighborhoods below I-30.
Financial institutions can play a significant role in that ecosystem, but the evening at Harmony Bank emphasized that investment is measured by more than dollars alone. Relationships, responsiveness and a willingness to remain present in the community were repeatedly highlighted throughout the celebration.
The Cedars location itself represents part of that presence. Situated just south of Downtown Dallas, the neighborhood sits at an intersection between rapid development and communities that have long called southern Dallas home.
For Harmony Bank, celebrating one year on Ervay Street was therefore about more than commemorating the opening of another branch. It offered the bank an opportunity to point to the relationships it has cultivated and the work it says preceded its arrival at the Cedars location.
The $1,500 contribution to Cornerstone Church provided one visible example of that investment, while the remarks from church leadership illustrated another: a banking relationship in which customers feel they can actually reach the people responsible for handling their money.
As Harmony Bank enters its second year at the Cedars location, its anniversary celebration offered a relatively simple message about what community banking can look like — show up, build relationships, answer the phone and remain invested.
