WARE — Country Bank announced the addition of two commercial banking professionals to its team: Mike Oleksak as first vice president, commercial banking team leader – West Region, and Rob Totaro as vice president, relationship manager – East Region. These strategic hires further strengthen the bank’s commercial banking presence throughout Central and Western Mass. and reinforce its ongoing investment in relationship-driven growth.
Oleksak will be based in the Springfield Business Office at Tower Square. In this role, he will manage a team of commercial lenders, as well as a portfolio of commercial clients, and collaborate with the team to drive new business development and broaden the bank’s reach across Western Mass. His primary focus will be to strengthen client relationships, expand market penetration, and support the bank’s continued commercial growth.
With more than 20 years of experience in commercial and business banking, Oleksak brings extensive expertise to Country Bank. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and commercial team leader at bankESB. His previous roles include positions of increasing responsibility at CoBank, United Bank, and Westfield Bank.
He earned both his bachelor’s degree and his MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He is also deeply involved in the community, serving as board chair of the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club, 2nd vice chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts, and board member of Hartsprings Foundation and Easthampton Neighbors Inc.
“Mike is a well-known and respected commercial banker in our market,” said Ben Leonard, senior vice president, commercial banking executive at Country Bank. His experience, strong client relationships, and community involvement make him an outstanding addition to our team. We are excited about the impact he will have in strengthening our commercial presence throughout the region.”
Meanwhile, Totaro will manage a portfolio of commercial clients, identify new prospects, and support the bank’s growth and market presence throughout the East Region. He is based in the Business Office at 315 Main St., Worcester.
He brings more than 26 years of banking experience. He began his career in retail banking at Citizens Bank and, most recently, served as vice president of commercial lending at Webster Five, where he worked for the past 19 years. His long-standing relationships and deep understanding of the Worcester business community position him well to support local companies with strategic financial solutions.
Active in the community, Totaro previously served with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, and currently co-chairs the Learning First Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization associated with the Learning First Charter School. He also graduated from Leadership Worcester in 2020. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Worcester State University and an MBA from Nichols College. He is currently enrolled at the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking (class of 2027).
“Rob is a trusted commercial lender with deep roots in the Worcester market,” Leonard said. “His experience and strong community ties will help us continue building meaningful business relationships in the Eastern Region.”
