Cynthia Whorley, Fairview Heights Banking Center Manager, Providence Bank

By ROBERTA CODEMO
    Cynthia Whorley always wanted to be a nurse so she could help people. One day a friend was raving about her new bank and told her to apply.
    “I told her, ‘I don’t know anything about banking’,” she said.
    Regions Bank was located across the street from the Family Dollar Store she managed and the teller manager often came in and would tell her to come talk to them. She was hired as a teller at the Schnucks in-store bank in Swansea in 2005, and that was the beginning of her banking career.
    “I still feel like I’m helping people only on a more personal level,” she said, and she loves working with clients to help them make good financial decisions throughout their lives.
    During her 12-year career, she has progressed through the ranks as a teller, personal banker, universal banker, assistant manager and branch manager. One of the best pieces of advice she received was to learn all aspects of the banking industry.
    She recently joined Providence Bank as the new Banking Center Manager in Fairview Heights. In her current role, she wears a lot of hats and oversees branch operations, sales and business development.
    “I really enjoy what I do,” she said, and loves the culture at Providence. Everyone enjoys what they do, and it’s evident throughout the bank. “I’m proud to say I work at Providence.”
    The banking industry has evolved over the past five to 10 years. As opportunities open up, and more women move into management roles, the walls are starting to crumble. There are still barriers that need torn down however women are being recognized for their talents and the level of diversity they bring.
    She encourages women who want to work in banking to just do it. “If you set your mind to it, the doors will open,” she said, and sees banking as a gateway to other career opportunities. “The experience is irreplaceable.”
    The bank believes in giving back to the community. Providence supports local organizations not just financially but with bodies. The bank believes in helping people of all walks of life and makes sure to do its part to raise awareness.
    Her goals continue to change. A former nursing major at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, she is majoring in business management at Lindenwood University in Belleville and plans to graduate next year. In the future, she’d like to move into human resources.
    A Belleville native, she currently lives there with her two daughters.