EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVEPROFILE PROFILE/ /Banking Banking
AAconversation conversationwith withAnita AnitaKuchcinski, Kuchcinski, Erie ErieMarket MarketExecutive Executivefor forNorthwest NorthwestBank Bank Anita Anitacame cametotoNorthwest Northwestmore morethan thansixsixyears yearsago agoasasa acommercial commerciallender. lender.Actively Actively involved involvedininthe thecommunity, community,she sheis isco-founder co-founderand andtreasurer treasurerofofWomen WomenInspiring Inspiring Women, Women, treasurer treasurer and and founding founding board board member member ofof the the White White Pine Pine Center Center for for Healing, Healing, aa member member ofof the the United United Way Way Young Young Leaders Leaders Society Society Steering Steering Committee Committee and and Voices Voices for for Independence Independence Erie Erie Development Development Committee, Committee, board board member member and and past past treasurer treasurer ofof Erie ErieDAWN, DAWN,treasurer treasurerand andmember memberofofthe theErie ErieCounty CountyGeneral GeneralAuthority AuthorityBoard Boardand and Erie Erie County County Community Community Services Services Financing Financing Authority. Authority. InIn addition, addition, she she is is aa new new board board member member ofof the the Erie Erie Regional Regional Chamber Chamber and and Growth Growth Partnership Partnership and and Erie Erie Downtown Downtown Equity Equity Fund Fund Board. Board. We We sat sat down down with with Anita Anita toto learn learn more more about about her her and and her her role role serving serving commercial commercial clients clients inin the the Erie Erie market. market.
How How did did you you get get into into the the banking banking industry? industry?
wewearearehonored honoredtotoprovide provideresources resourcestotoorganizations organizationsthat that areareplaying playinga acrucial crucialrole rolein inadvancing advancingneighborhoods neighborhoodsand and I was I was first first introduced introduced toto banking banking through through a college a college internship. internship. communities communities in in our our region. region. A local A local bank bank was was looking looking forfor a part-time a part-time teller, teller, soso I applied I applied and and What makes makes Erie Erie special? special? got got the the job. job. That That role role really really got got meme interested interested in in the the financial financial What industry industry and and I began I began toto explore explore a career a career in in retail retail banking. banking. Erie Erie has has everything everything a big a big city city offers, offers, but but allall the the character character and and In In just just three three years, years, I worked I worked mymy way way through through different different branch branch roles roles and and was was serving serving asas a branch a branch manager manager —— but but I was I was still still looking looking forfor more. more. MyMy background background in in accounting accounting and and entrepreneurial entrepreneurial studies, studies, along along with with mymy master’s master’s in in business business administration, administration, turned turned mymy focus focus toto the the business business side side of of banking. banking.
benefits benefits of of a smaller, a smaller, close-knit close-knit community. community.
I am I am excited excited toto have have this this wonderful wonderful opportunity opportunity toto now now serve serve in in a greater a greater capacity, capacity, asas Erie Erie market market executive. executive.
work work and and thrive thrive forfor many many years years toto come. come.
Current Currentrevitalization revitalizationprojects projectsarearesparking sparkinga afresh freshlook lookin in Erie, Erie, bringing bringing modern modern amenities amenities typically typically found found only only in in large large cities. cities.Northwest Northwestis isdeeply deeplycommitted committedtotothese theseefforts effortsand and excited excited forfor the the opportunities opportunities they’ll they’ll create. create. ToTo that that end, end, we’ve we’ve made contributions contributions toto both both the the Erie Erie Downtown Downtown Development Development AsAs the the daughter daughter of of a small a small business business owner, owner, I understood I understood the the made Corporationand andthe theErie ErieRegional RegionalChamber Chamberand andGrowth Growth importance importance of of relationships relationships and and partnerships partnerships between between a business a business Corporation Partnership’s Erie Erie Forward Forward initiative. initiative. and andtheir theirtrusted trustedadvisors. advisors.In In2008, 2008,I became I becamea acommercial commercial Partnership’s relationship relationship manager manager and and served served in in this this role role forfor the the next next 14 14 years, years, We’re We’reinvested investedand andcommitted, committed,right rightalongside alongsideour ourfriends, friends, working working closely closely with with commercial commercial and and middle-market middle-market businesses. businesses. neighbors neighbors and and businesses, businesses, in in making making Erie Erie a great a great place place toto live, live,
What What is is the the most most rewarding rewarding aspect aspect ofof your your job? job?
What What dodo you you hope hope toto achieve achieve inin your your new new role? role?
MyMy goal goal is is toto raise raise awareness awareness about about Northwest Northwest and and the the team team of ofexperts expertswewehave havehere, here,along alongwith withthe thevariety varietyof ofservices services and and solutions solutions wewe offer. offer. Northwest Northwest is is a growing a growing bank, bank, allowing allowing our our customers customers toto benefit benefit from from allall the the perks perks that that a larger a larger bank bank offers, offers, while while keeping keeping the the relationships relationships local. local. Our Our team team in in Erie Erie brings brings years years of of knowledge knowledge toto our our clients clients and and prospects prospects over over a a wide wide range range of of industries. industries. AtAt Northwest, Northwest, there’s there’s a team a team of of trusted trusted advisors advisors ready ready toto help help you you find find the the financial financial solutions solutions toto fitfit your your It’sIt’s a great a great feeling feeling toto drive drive past past a project a project in in Erie Erie that that our our team team needs needs and and wewe can can make make it happen it happen allall right right here, here, face face toto face. face. was was able able toto support, support, bigbig oror small, small, and and helped helped bring bring toto fruition. fruition. ToTo me, me, the the most most rewarding rewarding aspect aspect is is developing developing partnerships partnerships with with people, people, both both within within Northwest Northwest and and in in our our local local businesses businesses and andorganizations. organizations.AsAsa afull-service full-servicefinancial financialprovider, provider,we’re we’re here here toto listen listen toto our our clients clients and and then then surround surround them them with with the the solutions solutions and and personalized personalized guidance guidance they they need need toto bank, bank, borrow, borrow, invest invest and and plan plan forfor success, success, now now and and into into the the future. future.
What What makes makes you you proud proud toto represent represent Northwest? Northwest?
What’s What’s onon the the horizon horizon for for Northwest? Northwest?
We’re We’re always always looking looking forfor ways ways toto better better serve serve our our customers. customers. For For example, example, COVID-19 COVID-19 changed changed the the way way customers customers interacted interacted with withtheir theirbanks. banks.In Inlight lightof ofthis, this,weweaccelerated acceleratedour ourdigital digital transformation, transformation,launching launchingnew newpersonal personaland andbusiness businessonline online solutions solutions and and a reimagined a reimagined northwest.com northwest.com website. website. Next, Next, we’re we’re focused focused onon enhancing enhancing our our digital digital tools tools and and treasury treasury management management solutions solutions forfor commercial commercial clients clients – to – to enhance enhance our our partnerships partnerships AtAt Northwest, Northwest, we’re we’re particularly particularly proud proud of of the the support support we’re we’re with with them them and and help help maximize maximize their their potential. potential. giving giving toto local local non-profits non-profits through through our our Charitable Charitable Foundation Foundation For more more information, information, visit visit www.northwest.com. www.northwest.com. and and viavia the the Neighborhood Neighborhood Assistance Assistance Program, Program, administered administered For byby the the Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department Department of of Community Community and and Economic Economic Contact Contact Anita Anita Kuchcinski Kuchcinski directly directly byby calling calling (814) (814) 461-6992 461-6992 Development. Development. Especially Especially at at a time a time of of unprecedented unprecedented challenges, challenges, oror emailing emailing her her atat anita.kuchcinski@northwest.com. anita.kuchcinski@northwest.com. Established Established 126126 years years ago, ago, Northwest Northwest is is deeply deeply rooted rooted in in the the communities communities where where wewe live live and and work. work. We We support support them them not not only only byby providing providing best-in-class best-in-class banking banking solutions, solutions, but but also also through through our our long-lasting long-lasting commitment commitment toto making making a positive a positive impact impact byby giving giving back. back. Each Each of of usus takes takes pride pride in in finding finding ways ways toto make make a a difference. difference.
Northwest Northwest Bank Bank is Member is Member FDIC. FDIC.
mbabizmag.com • MARCH 2022
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