25 Years
Thomas Rudzewick President & Chief Executive Officer
When Thomas Rudzewick walked into Maspeth Federal Savings 25 years ago in a double-breasted, three-piece suit, the board got nervous. “They thought I was going to bring Manhattan/Wall Street-type change,” he explains. It wasn’t the first time Tom’s attire had ruffled some feathers. Growing up, Tom watched his father Ken go to work every day as the bank’s President & Chief Executive Officer. When he started school at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy, the 8 year old Tom eventually found a more fitting place to dress up, spending 3 years at the prestigious commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. But the long hours and constant travel took their toll: In December of 1999, his wife Michele called the office on a Sunday to tell him their son Nicholas had asked Santa for a new daddy. “This one’s never here,” the 36 year old explained. The next day, Tom put his papers in. At the encouragement of then-General Counsel Lenny Masone, Tom joined MFS as Chief Lending Officer on September 11, 2000. “I was so Manhattan driven,” he admits, recounting how he immediately issued feedback on everything from urinal deodorizers to deadlines. But a cast of savvy colleagues, including Angela Niro, Karen Burke, Marlene Sommella and the late Ada Morales, taught him to evolve his style. “Thank God I’ve changed!” he exclaims. Tom’s journey largely mirrors that of the bank, moving away from the rigid tailoring of traditional banking toward a more flexible and adaptable approach. “This place has gone through a transformation, and I’m so happy to help lead it.” asked to wear a trench coat and briefcase—to be like dad. “And that taught me how to fight really well!” he chuckles. It took 10 years to galvanize a 15-year digital transformation, culminating in the opening of the Technology Center in 2024. But the road has been dotted with challenges like 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, a breach in Rego Park just five months after Tom became CEO in 2016, and a global pandemic. “I think all that gave me the opportunity to use my organizational and leadership skills, my finance background, and my Catholic faith,” he reflects. “And my board is incredible—all good people who are focused on what’s best for the community. I give a lot of credit to the team here that stayed with me. You can come up with ideas, but you need to listen to others.” Learning to be open and curious is something Tom learned from Michele and her father, Joe Felle. “She has given me the vision of looking at the other side: It’s not just my ideas. Because this place,” he says, gesturing around the room, “is not anyone’s idea. It didn’t start that way. Twelve people got together and said, ‘This is the way forward.’”
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online