Ballston Spa National Bank Expands its Senior Management Team

Christopher R. Dowd, President and CEO of Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB), recently announced the appointment of two new senior leaders to the bank’s management team: Rich Klefsky, Chief Operating Officer, and Charlene Slemp, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. Both positions are new to BSNB and were created to strengthen the bank’s leadership structure following its merger with National Bank of Coxsackie (NBC) and expansion to 21 branches across the Capital Region.

Rich Klefsky brings more than 25 years of financial institution management experience to his new role, most recently serving in Senior Leadership positions at Island Credit Union and Suffolk Federal Credit Union. 

As Chief Operating Officer, Klefsky will provide leadership for the bank’s operational functions and align processes across the organization as BSNB completes the final stages of its integration with NBC.

“I’m a big believer in streamlining processes and finding ways to make banking easier for our customers,” said Klefsky. “That includes leveraging technology and digital solutions, but it also means focusing on our employees. When employees have the tools and support, they need to do their jobs well, that ultimately translates into a better experience for our customers.”

Slemp joined BSNB through its merger with NBC in 2026, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. She joined NBC in 2019 and was named Chief Credit Officer in 2020. 

With the bank’s increase in lending capacity, Slemp will focus on strengthening cross-departmental collaboration and ensuring BSNB has the structure and resources necessary to maintain sound credit practices while supporting responsible growth.

 “My focus is on maintaining a thoughtful and disciplined approach to credit while continuing to be responsive, practical and efficient in meeting the needs of our customers, said Slemp.

“Rich and Charlie bring significant experience and leadership to two areas that have become increasingly important to support our growth,” said Dowd. “The merger has given us greater scale, expanded capabilities and an exceptional depth of talent across the organization. Creating these positions ensures we have the leadership structure in place to capitalize on those strengths while continuing to provide the personalized service and strong relationships our customers expect.”