Today we continue our “Meet Your Banker” series by talking with Christina Wine. Christina is the Branch Manager of our Salt Creek Banking Center in Laurelville.
When Christina joined the VCNB Financial Family last year, it was in search of a job where community mattered. She had spent most of her career working with customers – first in food service management and then at a home improvement store before receiving a phone call that changed everything.
Christina Wine, Branch Manager of our Salt Creek Banking Center in Laurelville
A manager from a previous job called one day and asked if she would like to try being a teller for a regional bank. She accepted the opportunity and the challenge, setting off on the path to become a Mortgage Lender. But Christina quickly learned that she was more interested in the personal side of banking. “I loved being able to change lives by helping people look at the big picture,” she said. “I have always liked to coach and help people grow so it fit my personality really well.”
But there was something missing at her old job. With a longer commute and an employer that took a hands off approach to the local community, Christina was ready to find work close to home where the bank was part of the community. “One thing I really like about VCNB is that they encourage us to get involved in the community, they reward us for volunteering and they want us to know our customers. I never had that before at my old job,” she said.
While Christina is glad to be here, she admitted her timing with the move was poor. She was in her second of trimester of pregnancy at the time so she worked only a few months before taking time off for maternity leave.
But she is actively seeking ways to become more involved in the Laurelville community. Christina and the branch staff had just made arrangements to help unload the food truck and organize items for giveaway day at the food pantry when COVID 19 hit and changed the way volunteers are able to participate.
The Logan High School graduate is a native of South Bloomingville where she still lives. She laughed when asked about free time and mentioned her young family. With a newborn, a four year old and an 11 year old at home, she and her partner Ryan stay quite busy.
“I used to enjoy horseback riding and ATV rides but those things don’t happen too much with little ones.”
She grew up on a small farm with horses, livestock and lots of 4-H involvement. “I was definitely a country girl and practically grew up in a barn. I’d go swimming in the pond and fishing. I loved it and so did my friends. All my friends wanted to come to my house, it was so much fun.”
Today, Christina and her staff are glad to have the lobby open again after being closed for several weeks during the height of the COVID-19 scare. “It has been challenging but we encouraged our customers to remember that there’s so much we can do for them in and out of the lobby. We’re still able to open accounts, to accommodate all your lending needs. We are here for our customers and can do anything our customers need no matter what.”
He arranged with his employer to use their workspace in his down time to create a trailer full of pumpkins he could haul home to the Pumpkin Show. “It was a gamble but I sold every last piece and knew I had something,” he said. He returned home to Colorado and began preparing for next year’s festival, beginning a tradition that has continued ever since.
He cut back to two days a week fifteen years ago but says he is now ready to retire from the bank and direct his attention elsewhere. And there is no shortage of things to keep him occupied.
We have started construction on a full renovation project at our Salt Creek Banking Center in Laurelville. This is now the third branch in a multi-year plan to renovate or replace all of our seventeen offices.
VCNB Family 