Communities across Pennsylvania are growing and thriving because their community banks care. The service and commitment demonstrated by community bank employees keeps customers faithful, and their sincerity keeps others hopeful. It is because of these employees that communities across the Commonwealth are thriving and becoming better places to live and work.
When it comes to community banking in Pennsylvania, the uniqueness, talent and attributes of the 14,000 individual community bank employees combine to make the entire industry greater than the sum of its parts.
As we travel across Pennsylvania, we meet community bank employees from many different backgrounds. Some are new to the industry, others have worked their entire careers in it. No matter how long these employees have been involved in community banking, they all share a common thread – a love for their community. They truly are the ones responsible for #KeepingTheLightsOn in their hometown.
As part of an ongoing series, each month we will be featuring brief interviews with these community bank employees, these “Hometown Champions”. Through these interviews, we hope to gain some insight into what makes the community banking industry great in Pennsylvania.
This month, we chat with the hometown champions from Turbotville National Bank, a community bank serving customers in Northumberland County and beyond. Chartered in 1910, Turbotville National Bank remains dedicated to their work and continually strives to live up to its motto, “large enough to serve you, small enough to know you, and strong enough to protect you.” As the bank moves into its second century of service, it endeavors to be “ever larger, to serve you better, ever stronger to protect you more, but never too large to be a friend to each one of their customers.”
Sarah Moser
Customer Service/Teller
How did you get into community banking?
Sarah: I guess I would have to say that I got into community banking by accident. The Turbotville National Bank found me. I was recovering from knee surgery, going to physical therapy and was not yet cleared to go back to my full-time teaching job, when one of the bank’s customers said “Call Sarah, she can help out, she is just home sitting on her porch,” which was not the whole truth. I was spending most of my day working my way back from my knee injury and every afternoon iced my knee on the porch, enjoying the view of the neighborhood. The bank and I made contact and before I knew it, I had convinced my doctor, since he wouldn’t clear me to go back to my full-time job until I finished physical therapy, to please give me his blessing for a part-time job at the Turbotville National Bank. My first day was April 15 and my first customer said “The best thing they could have ever done was to bring your smile to the bank!” And I guess the rest is just history. I am now a full-time employee at the bank working on the teller line and in customer service. The bank has been a wonderful surprise in my life, I never expected to be a banker.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Sarah: On the top of my list is helping people use our bank resources to reach their goals and make their dreams come true. I love that I have a unique opportunity working both on the teller line and in customer service, which gives me a diverse set of skills to help the customers. There is one story I will always remember fondly… a man brought in a deposit after settling his mother’s estate. He was sad and we talked about options for his deposit. As our conversation unfolded, I discovered that he was not yet a home owner. This gift would be a great start to becoming a homeowner and his eyes lit up and he began to smile! “I think your mom is going to help make your dream come true!” I said. I loved hearing that a few months later he was back for the closing of his first home purchase! It’s my contribution to them living happily ever after!
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Sarah: It’s simple: people working together to help our community to be prosperous and to help each other in the good and bad times that life throws our way. We are stronger and more successful united, working together.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Sarah: My connection to the history of the Turbotville National Bank started long before becoming an employee. As a little girl growing up, I had this trio in my life: Aunt Annie, Betty and Janet. As I grew older, I discovered that they were not really related in the traditional sense, but these women were my family. I loved being with them, and when I became a new driver, I took them around to run their errands and drove them around so they could visit with each other. What they didn’t know was that they were teaching me lessons in life just by being an onlooker of the stories of their lifetime of memories together. I loved that I could ask them any question about life and they would each share their experiences or perspective. Annie was the daughter of our first Turbotville National Bank President, Mr. Youngman. In my lifetime, I have heard many anecdotal stories of our hometown bank and its rich history and contributions to our community.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Sarah: One Sunday evening Annie and I were having wine together by the fireplace. I said “Annie that paneled cupboard is beautiful,” and she looked at me smiling and laughing. She said “I think it’s great that you love that cupboard. It belonged to your great, great grandfather!” At that point I just could not wait to hear the story about the paneled cupboard because I loved every story that Annie shared with me on Sunday nights. My family has banked at the Turbotville National Bank for many generations. My great, great grandfather did a lot of banking with Annie’s dad and every time he borrowed money he used the cupboard as collateral for the loan. He would deliver the cupboard to Mr. Youngman’s home, and when the loan was paid in full he would come back and pick up the cupboard. Annie said that the cupboard would come and go from the house many times over in his lifetime. Annie and her dad kept a place in the living room for the cupboard to come back to anytime. She loved the cupboard and was always happy to see it come back in to their home. The cupboard, my great, great grandfather, Annie and Mr. Youngman had a wonderful friendship and history banking together. After Mr. Youngman passed away, my great, great grandfather returned with the paneled cupboard and gave it to Annie because she loved the cupboard! Annie loved that she had a pleasure of knowing so many generations of my family. When Annie passed away she gifted the paneled cupboard back to me because I loved it just as much for its beauty and as its rich history!
Andrea Brouse
Loan Officer
How did you get into community banking?
Andrea: As a young girl, I would accompany my Mom every Friday night to do her banking at my parents’ community bank (Watsontown Farmers National Bank). This weekly ritual, was loved by me and I truly looked forward to going to the bank. Waiting in line and inching our way to the counter where the teller was working her calculator, stamping, re-inking, and stamping more paperwork. I knew then, that I had an interest in working at a bank.
When an opening for a teller position became available at Turbotville National Bank, I applied immediately. After being a teller for only three months, I moved to the loan department; and eventually promoted to a loan officer.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Andrea: The things I find most rewarding are guiding first time home buyers to reach the status of homeowner, teaching customers to budget so they can pay-off their debts quickly, and being invited by our Amish customers to visit their homes/farms to learn about their businesses. Genuinely knowing and caring about the people I encounter inside and outside our bank is rewarding.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Andrea: A community bank is always willing to try to meet any of their customer’s needs; big or small. It means having the time to sit down with customers and listen to their banking needs. Community banks offer the ability to develop a family history with customers over several generations, and provide products that are specific to customers’ needs. Our lending varies from the purchase of land to granting loans for winter fuel bills.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Andrea: Unfortunately, I myself can’t even think of anything. I wear my heart on my sleeve, share family stories, and meet so many people throughout the community while volunteering for numerous organizations. When people see me outside walking or enjoying yard work, I wave at all who pass by.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Andrea: This picture has significant meaning to me, as I got to “raise” this beauty. I have always wanted to be a part of the caterpillar to butterfly release – and this past summer I had six caterpillars munching milkweed plants until they were ready to hang upside in containers, until a beautiful butterfly was born, until release. This was the last one to take flight at the Brouse house and ironically landed on my butterfly bush outside my kitchen window.
Barbara Noll
Loan Specialist
How did you get into community banking?
Barbara: I have always been a kind of numbers person and my family tells me growing up I always handled money conscientiously, a real money “cents” type – a natural banker if you will. I was honored with the business education award in high school and my first real career path job landed me a position as secretary/bookkeeper for a local municipality; that was a stepping stone to many years with a data processing center for local community banks. It was in that capacity that a true appreciation for these community financial institutions blossomed. An opportunity presented itself to become part of the Turbotville National Bank team in the loan department and the kindred spirit of this profession was the piece that completed me.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Barbara: The humanitarian aspect, the real human-interest connection is what I find rewarding and meaningful. It’s the interactions by being involved in peoples financing decisions, empowering them to achieve goals, fulfill dreams, or overcome livelihood struggles for a better standard of living and being part of that process, I find, fulfills that greater measure of oneself.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Barbara: I can’t think of anything more pivotal or to the core of what a community banking establishment represents than that service to its neighborhood, that extension to develop, grow and impact economic success of one’s hometown.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Barbara: I am a forever student and like learning or being challenged both mentally and physically. I indulge in bicycling and ornithology and have a great love of animals. In my early childhood, while living on a farm, I had tamed all the chickens to squat down when approached to be picked up and cradle in your arms like that of a baby; to this day, with a smile, I still think of my feathered friends, the movement of their bobbing heads when they would do their strut like walk, the way they would tilt their heads and peer at me one eyed, and how they would spread the news in a clucking fashion of their egg laying excitement. Such a funny group of hens and how accepting they were of me, which was probably the start of my fascination with ornithology.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Barbara: Do you want to build a snowman ~ this is just what my son, Colby, and I did on a mid-winter’s day, which was a fun activity in the midst of the winter doldrums and I think our snowman turned out quite robust.
