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 Jonestown Bank & Trust Co. (JBT). With branches located across Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, JBT helps to ensure that Central Pennsylvania is a place people want to live, work and play. From directors and managers, to clerks and tellers, they are actively involved in the community, making a difference every day in their churches, charities, service clubs, trade organizations, and local government.
Kody Sitch
Dealer Department Manager
How did you get into community banking?
Kody: I started my path into banking by the way of the car business. JBT had an opening in the dealer department and I applied.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Kody: Community Growth. Community banks have a lot of impact on small businesses and personal financial goals.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Kody: My definition would be summed up in two words: personal service. You can walk into any of our branches and know your banker.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Kody: I have a large shoe collection made up of Nike and Air Jordan’s.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Kody: I have a screen shot of a Ray Kroc quote. The first thing I do in the morning is read an article from Forbes and if I feel the article or quote is helpful I take a screen shot and apply it to achieve my personal goals.
Jessica Diamond
Operations Specialist I
How did you get into community banking?
Jessica: I worked as a teller at a local community bank serving Montgomery County after graduating High School. I wanted real life experience and was hoping to find career inspiration before heading to college and the position became so much more than a job! Having grown up in the area, I knew many of the people who walked in our doors. My co-workers felt like family and our customers became friends. Although, I did leave the banking industry to pursue other interests, I never felt like it was the right fit. I saw my local JBT branch was hiring and applied immediately. There is something truly special about working for a local community bank.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Jessica: I get to meet, interact with and work with some of the greatest people I have ever met. The teller line will always hold a special place in my heart because you really get to know your customers. You know when they are saving for a vacation, a wedding, or a home and the way they like their cash back. You know what types of lollipops the kids like and the ones they don’t. Now that I am in the back office, I get to assist my co-workers who are helping our customers make sense of their loan related questions or concerns.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Jessica: A community bank is so much more than just a place to make a deposit. Money is a tough topic and a lot of people don’t realize all the available tools, accounts and products that their local community bank designed to help them find financial success. We get to connect with people, help them achieve their financial goals and give back to our community.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Jessica: Growing up, my dad loved to collect the shiny mint condition coins. After tagging along to different coin collector shops, I fell in love with foreign coins. My favorite coins have intricate and beautiful designs that look more like art than they do currency. I have some that are smaller than a dime and a few that are more than double the size of a quarter.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Jessica: I love to travel and explore! Recently, my husband and I have been lucky enough to travel to Tucson in Arizona, the Finger Lakes in New York and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. This is a picture from a winery down the street from my parents’ home in Tucson, Arizona. The winery is surrounded by 5 different mountain ranges, and has incredible views!
Jaime Hansson
Bank Trainer
How did you get into community banking?
Jaime: My career in banking started when I was 21. At the time, I was looking for a job, not necessarily a career – it was something to do while I figured out where I wanted to go with my life. I began my banking career in a small community bank in New York, a bank that had 7 branches while I was employed there. That is where it all began, where I started to think banking could be more than a job. From there I transitioned into a bigger community bank and that is where my career really flourished from teller to assistant branch manager in a matter of 3 short years. I moved to PA in 2008 where I continued to grow my banking career, again with a community bank, albeit a larger community bank in terms of asset size. In 2016 I transitioned into JBT as their Bank Trainer and have never felt more fulfilled in my career. My entire professional career has been in community banks of different sizes. Although most of my career was spent in the branch, I feel as though I have found my “home” in the training department at JBT.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Jaime: The answer to this question is most certainly helping people. Although I no longer help the bank’s external clients, my clients are JBT’s employees, helping people grow financially and professionally is the most rewarding.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Jaime: To me, a community bank is focused on the betterment of the community, where local decisions are made by the people who truly understand the needs of the people and businesses in the market. But, community banking is more than just the financial decisions we make and it’s certainly more than just a place to work. Community bankers are part of the neighborhood, we live and play where our bank is, we volunteer for the organizations that impact our clients, and we choose to serve our clients in a way that supports their financial lives far better than a banking organization whose roots are not in our areas.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Jaime: When I first started college after high school I was a radio and television communications major. I wanted to be a radio DJ until I realized the program was about more than just becoming a famous voice. I am not technically savvy, so learning the ins and outs of the equipment didn’t appeal to me. I did intern on the Maury Povich show though, so that was pretty cool!
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Jaime: The 5th picture in my camera roll is a photo of jewelry I make. I am getting ready for a Christmas craft fair at the church I attend – these bracelets are hand-stamped by me!
Constanza Russo-Ehrgood
Client Resource Center Manager
How did you get into community banking?
Coni: I started at JBT because a prior manager approached me while I was working for a much larger institution. The idea of hometown, community banking that caters to the client’s needs was, of course, incredibly appealing, and I found my home at JBT during the past 6 years.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Coni: Being able to see the progress and changes we implement in order to better serve our clients, our community, and the company overall. There’s a tremendous sense of value that comes with knowing you have a voice working for a community bank like JBT.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Coni: A community bank is a financial institution that can offer personalized, one-on-one banking in a much more detailed capacity as we cater to our specific community’s needs, rather than trying to make our clients fit into a generalized mold.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Coni: I am originally from South America, was born in Argentina, grew up in Brazil, and moved to this country when I was 16. I also recently became a citizen here which was one of those life-changing moments for me.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Coni: My mother’s and my uncle’s birth certificates, which we found in a box of old documents from when my grandparents passed away.
Carrie Ehrgood
Branch Manager
How did you get into community banking?
Carrie: I graduated from Shippensburg University in 2008 with a degree in Human Communications Studies. I began looking for jobs in the Human Resources field. My mom worked as a Branch Manager of a bank my entire life and suggested that I get a teller job “until I find something else.” I started with a larger bank and quickly learned that it was not a good fit for me, as their values did not line up with my own. My mentor from that bank had left and started working for JBT. She called one day to let me know that there was an opening and I jumped on it. I couldn’t be happier and have never looked back!
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Carrie: I love the fact that our clients are our top priority. JBT’s foundation is built on the JBT Smile Standards; Sincere, Memorable, Integrity, Leadership, and Expertise. “At JBT, we take pride in delivering smiles. Those smiles are created through our passion for the success of our company, the enthusiasm we bring to work each day, the positive and pleasant demeanor we exhibit, and the attentiveness we have in understanding and respecting differences. Our Smile Standards serve as the expectations for everyone in our organization, no matter what their role or responsibility. Our Smile Standards guide our interactions with clients, prospects, vendors and fellow teammates.” At the end of the day, I can go home feeling good about what I did and who I helped.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Carrie: Simple – a bank that is dedicated to serving their local community and clients above all else.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Carrie: Speaking of community, I once took part in a Lebanon bologna eating contest for our local Rotary Club. I’m pretty sure that I blocked most of the details out of my mind, but I do know that I did not come in last place, and that was a win to me!
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Carrie: Be careful what you ask for…here is my 16 month old daughter, Lucy, having a “toddler moment” because she didn’t want to go to the Christmas tree farm. Becoming a mother has been the most rewarding (and sometimes exhausting) thing I have ever done. And to add to the madness, we are due with our 2nd in June of 2018!
Heather Mease
Operations Manager
How did you get into community banking?
Heather: I wish I had an amazing story to tell, but it’s rather simple. I was working in retail and didn’t want to go through another Christmas season filled with long hours. I got into community banking because I wanted to be off work on federal holidays. Little did I know at the time that I would find fulfillment in banking and how a new job would quickly become a career that I love.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Heather: I will never forget the day that I realized how important and rewarding it is to work for a community bank. JBT came out with our mission statement “To improve the financial lives of our clients”. After I read the mission statement, I took the time to ponder on what that meant to me. I came to the conclusion that I am blessed to work for a bank whose mission is to be a part of the community and serve people that live in it. It is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. The reward comes when you hear the many success stories and read the thank you notes that come from our clients.
People always want a definition of “community bank,” what’s yours?
Heather: A community bank is where you are able to get personalized service. We take the time to know the client by name and assist them in meeting their financial goals.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Heather: I was blessed to spend some time in Cambodia where I taught English as a second language. It was an adventure that I will never forget.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Heather: The 5th picture is my first attempt at sewing. I am a fan of Star Wars and saw a pattern on Pinterest so decided to attempt to make it. It’s still a work in progress.
Paul Stauffer
Branch Manager
How did you get into banking?
Paul: After college I thought the idea of banking really intrigued me. I loved the idea of working with money and local people. Thinking it would give me an opportunity to learn more about many different types of businesses, I applied at my local bank. I started as a teller and worked my way through different position levels. I am currently the manager at our bank’s main office and I cannot see myself doing anything else as a career.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in community banking?
Paul: For me it has always been about the people, working with local individuals and families. I enjoy doing a loan for a young couple who are purchasing their first home or even a car loan for a family. I see those people outside of work and know that I helped them achieve a goal of theirs and that my efforts made a difference. I have now been here long enough that parents that I have helped are bringing in their children so that I can do the same for them. I love the idea that it is something that is passed down from generation to generation that if you need something you go into the local office and speak to Paul. I know in many cases they come in and see me before they ever go online or call around for rates. They trust me and know I will do my best to help improve their financial lives. This in itself is quite a rewarding experience.
People always want a definition of a “community bank “what is yours
Paul: Community Bank, to me, means an institution that is an integral part of the local neighborhood. Its staff lives in the community and the decisions made at the bank are made in order to benefit the community. The lending decisions are made by people who understand the local needs of families and businesses. The money that clients put on deposit is used to help their neighborhood, maybe even their friends and family with their lending needs.
Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.
Paul: I was once bitten by a dolphin! Well it was at a show and I had the opportunity to pet the dolphin. I guess I should have realized that they probably do not take too kindly to having their blow hole covered. As my hand went over its head I covered its blow hole for just a second and before I knew it, the dolphin reached back and bit my hand. They have very sharp teeth and it did not take much to tear a gash into my fingers. I do not believe I will be petting a dolphin any time soon but if I ever have that opportunity again, I definitely learned my lesson.
What is the 5th picture in your camera roll on your phone, and can you please share the story behind it?
Paul: The fifth picture on my camera roll just happens to be a Christmas tree. For about ten years now I have been going out on Black Friday and purchasing one of the biggest trees I can find to display in our bank lobby. We have about a 25ft ceiling in our lobby with a large window that extends all the way to the ceiling. It would be much easier to just set up an artificial tree every year but I love the response we get from our customers. Seeing the kids’ faces when they see the huge tree just makes all the efforts worthwhile. In addition to the tree you can also see the bike. That bike along with many other gifts is brought in by customers so they can all be donated to the local Toys for Tots program.
