With a combined love for people and a degree in accounting, Amanda Hewitt knew banking would be a great fit for her life. Now as the Assistant Branch Manager of the Avon Branch, she loves interacting with customers and finding the best products for their personal needs.

How did you find your way into banking?

I was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years, and when my kids grew up I decided to start job hunting. I was ready to be around people again, and having my degree in accounting made me interested in banking. I started my career at Citizens Bank as a teller. This bank is very people-oriented, so getting to know my coworkers and our wonderful customers made my transition into banking enjoyable. It didn’t take long before I was ready to take on more responsibility, so I learned the ropes to become an assistant manager.

Describe your job now.

When I became the assistant manager my responsibilities doubled. Now I spend my time working both on the teller line and in my office. I often run transactions on the teller line and I am used as a resource for the tellers to problem solve and assist with transactions that are over their deposit limits. When I spend time in my office, I help customers with opening accounts, car loans and refinancing, home equity lines of credit, and any other financial needs they may have.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love interacting with customers and really getting to know their stories. Our regular customers who come in and share about their dogs or grandbabies. We have a lot of older customers who just come into the bank to interact with other people. It makes me feel like we are the highlight of their day. That’s one of the biggest things that keeps me around. Our customers really become part of our lives and I wouldn’t change that for anything.

Another thing I love about my job is my coworkers. We’re really close and we spend every day together on the teller line, which helps us work together effortlessly.

Does working so closely with your customers help you make recommendations for bank products or services?

Definitely. All it takes is having a conversation with a customer to find out which products will really help with their needs. Everyday we hear things like, “I want to remodel my bathroom” or “I’m looking for a new car.” This is why customer interaction is so important, because it lets us find the perfect products and resources for whatever his or her current situation may be.

How are you involved in your community?

My involvement in the community is mostly centered around my kids. I have four kids of my own so I spend most of my free time volunteering with their schools and sports teams. I run into so many of our customers this way. It’s really great to be able to get to know these people outside the bank and within our community.

What do you like to do as a family?

We go camping a lot. We like to spend our summers on the lake, where we can use our little speed boat and go swimming, tubing, and water skiing.

Where are we most likely to find you outside of work?

Honestly, I love to read; if I can get my nose in a book at any free moment, I will. I love spending time with my husband, my kids and my pets. My husband and I have four kids, so we stay pretty busy! We also have two cats, three mixed-breed rescue dogs, and two parakeets. My favorite pet was a green-cheeked conure; he was like a guard dog—if anyone new walked into my house he’d scream really loud to let us know!