Kitsap County Commissioner Jan Angel, who had a long career in banking, recalls a time in the 1970s when she was the only woman banker in Anchorage, Alaska. Back in those days, women were secretaries and tellers, not managers. As she had the door slammed on her on many occasions, Angel eventually did work her way up — but not without constant vigilance.
“Every time you open your mouth, make sure you know what you’re talking about,” told her the company vice president when she asked him if he thought she could do the job.
Women have since made the loud statement that they can be successful financial managers — and a look at local banks is proof. A great number of Kitsap area branches are managed by women, many of whom have been in the industry and even with their company for a couple of decades.
One such veteran in Kathy Denton at Bank of America’s Silverdale Town Center branch. A manager for about eight years and a bank employee for more than 24, she has worked her way up through the ranks after starting as a teller and proof operator. Since Denton came on board, the company had changed names twice though acquisitions – but Denton remained. She says working with a company that understands that people are its number one resource kept her attention, and getting promoted was always “about being the best person for the job,” not gender.
Being a manager has not changed one most important aspect of Denton’s job: working with people, an aspect she enjoys. And despite her work being much more time consuming now, she still finds some time for some community activities, such as the Festival of Trees.
Sue Brown at the Gig Harbor Point Fosdick branch of Washington Mutual is another veteran, with 28 years in the industry. She too started as a clerk and worked her way up, and has been a branch manager for 15 years including 10 years at the Gig Harbor office. She has been a premier manager for two years — a distinction that means her branch was rated as the top in the area. It also meant two company-sponsored trips to Hawaii — with such treatment, it’s no wonder Brown says the company has much to offer its employees.
After 10 years, Brown has gotten to know a lot of the customers, and still runs the teller line as needed. “The most rewarding part is seeing a young couple get their first home, or helping someone,” she says.
Mary Hoover, vice president and manager at the Silverdale branch of American Marine Bank, had worked for Silverdale State Bank for 20 years before it became American Marine. Banking is the only industry she’s worked in, ever since she was in high school in Canada and later moved to the States.
“I fell into it out of high school,” she said, adding that she worked at various banks, and at Silverdale Bank she has worked “in just about every department.”
Hoover enjoys learning new things — and she has that opportunity often. For example, when Silverdale Bank was purchased, she ventured into a new arena, commercial lending, and even now she enjoys the challenges that come with growth. Despite the turnaround technology has brought to the industry, Hoover said people contact is still very important, and employees know many customers by name. “We have the convenience and the technology, but we still like to wait on our customers and see them face to face,” she said.
Alison Jeromchek at the Gig Harbor branch of Sound Credit Union joined the company 14 years ago as a real estate lending officer and has been a manager for 13 years. She has worked in the banking and lending industry since 1985, and say she likes the philosophy of credit unions, where members instead of stockholders own the company.
Being part of a smaller organizations means “your opinions count and you’re involved in a lot of decision making,” she said.
Jeromchek commutes to Gig Harbor from University Place, and loves the area. She notes that women manage most of the Sound branches, and she enjoys working for the company and having equal opportunities.
There are numerous other women running local banks. Among them Carol Berthoff at Bank of America’s Port Orchard branch — a veteran bank manager who ran the old Seafirst branch in downtown Bremerton for years (which later became Bank of America) and came out of retirement to take her current position.
Veronica Coburn is senior vice president and CFO of fast growing Westsound Bank. She also managed a branch at Pacific Northwest Bank before joining Bremerton-based Westsound.
In addition, Jodi Doss, who has been with Westsound Bank for some time, and is an assistant vice president, was recently named manager of its newly opened branch in downtown Port Orchard. Cherie Larson, also an assistant vice president, manages Westsound’s Silverdale branch.
Kim Nahorny is an assistant vice president in charge of commercial lending while another assistant vice president, Tracy Pelley, serves as operations officer at the main branch in downtown Bremerton.
Assistant Vice President Denise Uvila manages Westsound’s Port Angeles branch.
Locally owned Kitsap Bank, because of its size, has undoubtedly the highest number of women in management, starting at the very top with longtime board chair Helen Langer Smith. Her daughter, Cydly Smith, serves as the vice chair.
The 95-year old bank also has a number of female senior managers including Senior Vice President and Credit Administrator Linda Smith, who has also worked in bank management with KeyBank and Pacific Northwest; Jackie McVay, senior vice president of branch operations and accounting; Mary Taylor, vice president of branch operations; Annette Williams, vice president and human resources director; and Shannon Childs, vice president and marketing director.
Female managers abound in the Kitsap Bank branches, including Joan Svardh, operations and branch manager on Bainbridge Island; holding the same positions are Gwen Woods at South Park Village and Ellen Aguinaldo at the Bethel & Lund branch, both in Port Orchard; Lisa Drummond, branch manager in West Bremerton; Marcia Axtman, vice president and loan officer and Jenny Elliott, vice president and operations manager in East Bremerton; Joann Johnson, operations officer and branch manager at Sheridan Village; Maralee Ormiston, assistant vice president and branch manager, and Kim Haack, operations supervisor at the 6th & Park branch in downtown Bremerton; April Shermer, operations manager and Renee Cook, assistant vice president and loan officer at the Silverdale branch; Marilu Aganon, operations supervisor at the Central Kitsap branch; Carole Newton, operations supervisor at the Bangor branch; Alice Chigbrow, assistant vice president in Kingston; Marlene Mitchell, assistant vice president and operations manager in Poulsbo; Jennifer Fredrick, assistant vice president and loan officer and Ginette Lasala, operations officer at the Gig Harbor branch, and Lynnette McKee, operations officer and branch manager in Allyn.
Women are also in similar positions at the bank’s other branches in Port Angeles, Sequim, and Bonny Lake.
The bank’s mortgage lending subsidiary, Kitsap Mortgage is similarly staffed, with Heidi Villarma serving as vice president and manager and Sherry Crownover as assistant manager at the Port Orchard office; Joyce Taylor, senior vice president and Barbara Kline, assistant vice president and operations manager in Gig Harbor; and Leslie Peterson, vice president and manager and Denise Hike assistant vice president and assistant manager in the Silverdale office.
The bank’s investment division, Olympic Investment Center, boasts two female investment consultants, Poonum Vasushth and Susan McCoy.
Sally Harkness serves as assistant vice president in Kitsap Bank’s active SBA Department, and of course, a woman, none other than vice president and manager, Sally Pentz, handles one of the most important jobs in any business for Kitsap Bank — customer service.
Kitsap Credit Union (KCU) also boasts female-friendly management. Prior to the current CEO Elliott Gregg, Earlene Fantz led the institution for a number of years before retiring.
KCU recently announced a slate of new positions and promotions, which are staffed almost exclusively by women. They include: Assistant Branc
h Managers: Tera Whittner in East Bremerton; Viola Mather at the South Kitsap branch; Caela Howley on Bainbridge Island; Jeanie Bruderer in Poulsbo; Dorell Bertel at the Bangor branch; Barb Humphrey at PSNS; Jamie Goodwin at Gig Harbor North and Kathy Taylor at the Olympic Plaza Branch in Gig Harbor; and Carla Camacho at the Bremerton branch.
New Operation Supervisors include Gloria Henderson at the Westpark branch and Evie Webb at Keyport, while new Teller Supervisors are Carol Ungren in Silverdale; Gwen Catledge in South Kitsap and Zen Ellington in East Bremerton.
