Jim Weissman, longtime 5Towns’ banker dies

Jim Weissman, a banker in the Five Towns for the past quarter century, died suddenly of a heart attack on Monday. He was 65.

Since October 2004, Weissman was senior vice president at Signature Bank's Woodmere branch at 923 Broadway. When Weissman arrived at Signature he brought with him 30-plus years of banking experience and had previously been vice president and branch manager of HSBC's Hewlett location.

“He was just a sweetheart of a guy,” said Craig Spatz, group director at Signature Bank's Woodmere branch. “He was everybody's friend.”

“He was an experienced banker and always took good care of his clients,” said John Tamberlane, Signature Bank's vice chairman, who worked with Weissman when he was at Republic National Trust in Hewlett before it changed to HSBC. “He was just a good human being.”

Weissman developed a close relationship in recent years with Rabbi Shneur Zalman Wolowik, spiritual leader at Chabad of the Five Towns, which does their banking with Signature. “He related to everyone of every walk of life,” said Rabbi Wolowik, who conducted funeral services for Weissman on Tuesday morning at Gutterman's Funeral Home in Woodbury. “He loved everybody.”

“He was a mench,” said Ruthie Beler, associate group director at Signature. “For me he was like family.”

Weissman was described by friends as someone who had a huge passion and knowledge of music and sports. He also attended many events at Touro Law Center in Central Islip, where his wife, Linda Howard Weissman, is the director of

development.

“He was a big supporter of the law school and became friendly with many of the faculty,” said Howard Glickstein, Dean Emeritus of Touro Law Center. “He had a kind heart.”

Following Tuesday's funeral service at Gutterman's, a burial for Weissman was held at Mount Ararat Cemetery in Farmingdale. In addition to his wife Linda Weissman is survived by children, Steven, Jessica, Meredith and Lisa, his mother, Shirley, and five grandchildren.

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