Quinnipiac Bank & Trust Company, the area's newest full service bank, recently completed its first year in what has been a tumultuous one for larger banks. "We're solid, sound, secure and well capitalized," said Mark Candido, Quinnipiac's president. "In a time when many larger banks are looking back over their shoulders at some dismal performances, a small community bank like ours is doing quite well. You might say we're having a very happy birthday." The bank was founded when the threat of a recession was looming back in late '07 and early '08. "Our shareholders saw this as a good investment while some detractors viewed it as a risk during questionable financial times." Candido continued: "We utilized traditional banking practices: plain, simple, personal banking with all the services of a large bank, but far more personal service for our customers."