FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kearny Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:KRNY) (the "Company"), a performance-driven financial institution committed to sustainable growth and innovation, today announced a strategic partnership with The Lab Consulting, a leading provider of process improvement and automation solutions for the financial services industry.

This initiative is designed to enhance operational efficiency, boost workforce productivity, and elevate the client experience—while delivering measurable value to shareholders through cost optimization and scalable growth.

"Operational agility and client-centricity are critical to our long-term success," said Craig Montanaro, President & CEO of Kearny Financial Corp. "Our partnership with The Lab Consulting is a strategic investment in our future—one that will allow us to streamline operations, empower our teams, and deliver stronger returns for our stakeholders."

Consulting Engagement Highlights

The Lab Consulting will deploy a proven, multi-phase innovation methodology tailored for financial institutions seeking efficient, sustainable transformation:

Automation & AI: Implement Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI-enabled document processing to eliminate manual, repetitive tasks and accelerate workflows.
Workflow Orchestration: Leverage existing industry leading automation platforms to integrate processes across departments and systems.
Data-Driven Insights: Deploy advanced tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs) through dashboards with real-time visibility into performance metrics.
Client Experience Optimization: Redesign client-facing processes to improve speed, accuracy, and satisfaction.
Core System Integration: Ensure all automation solutions integrate securely with Kearny's core banking and client relationship management (CRM) platforms.
Sustainable Change Management: Provide knowledge transfer and best practices to ensure long-term adoption and continuous improvement.

The program is expected to deliver operational improvements within the first year of implementation, with long-term benefits including reduced operating expenses, increased capacity for revenue-generating opportunities, improved employee engagement, and strengthened competitive positioning.

"By combining process mapping, RPA, AI-enabled intelligent document processing, and advanced analytics, we're enabling Kearny Financial Corp. to achieve rapid, scalable improvements in efficiency and client service," said Chris Wilds, Director of Automation of The Lab Consulting.

About Kearny Financial Corp.

Kearny Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:KRNY) is the parent company of Kearny Bank which operates from its administrative headquarters in Fairfield, New Jersey, and a total of 43 retail branch offices located throughout northern and central New Jersey and Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York. At June 30, 2025, Kearny Financial Corp. had approximately $7.7 billion in total assets.

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The Company does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

Investor Relations Contact:

Sean Byrnes

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Kearny Financial Corp.

sbyrnes@kearnybank.com | (973) 244-4500

www.kearnybank.com

About The Lab Consulting

The Lab is a leading provider of process and data standardization for white-collar work, or "knowledge work." Since 1993, The Lab has helped organizations around the world implement improvements that reclaim capacity, preserve margin, and increase sales.

Contact:

Christopher Wilds

Director of Automation

The Lab Consulting

cwilds@thelabconsulting.com | (201) 526-1200

www.thelabconsulting.com

Kearny Financial Corp. Partners with The Lab Consulting to Accelerate Operational Efficiency and Drive Shareholder Value