Josie Romeo appreciates the Heights for one main reason, a reason that fuses both her work and personal beliefs – community.

Josie started her career at Vancity as a financial services representative. 26 years later, she is now the branch manager. With an aptitude for numbers and strong people skills, Josie realized that the banking industry was the perfect fit for her.

Josie knew that Vancity was the right place for her when she saw how her co-workers participated in the community, and realized the organizations family-oriented atmosphere. “Here it’s like a family – we go a step farther than banking. We care about what happens to our members,” states Josie. Evidently this makes a big difference.

What also makes a difference is when the staff is a part of the community, and because so many staff members have been at the branch for a while, they tend to build an emotional attachment to the members. “Many of our employees live in the community, so they try to make a difference wherever they can. Vancity also ensures that the community is reflected in their staff, as together we can contribute to the team, and help serve our members accordingly,” says Josie. In total, the team on the Heights can speak 10 different languages.

When it comes to her personal preferences in regards to the Heights, Josie appreciates the personal feeling when you go into stores, and seeing her neighbors as she strolls along the street. This is something that she feels makes the Heights unique. It is this appreciation for her neighborhood that makes Josie realize that she couldn’t live or work anywhere else.

Living and shopping on the Heights for more than 30 years, Josie enjoys spending her free time on the Heights, relaxing with family and friends, collecting cookbooks, baking, and reading.