Heritage Bank 2022 Community Investment Report

WHEN NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS. AND THAT’S TRUE PROSPERITY.

2022 Community Investment Report

A lot has transpired over the last few years, including a global pandemic, political discord, social issues and, more recently, a couple of bank failures. Through it all, Heritage has operated with strength, stability and courage.

Even during these disruptions, we have continued to focus on the importance of giving back to the communities we serve, and we are committed to doing our part to make a positive impact in the world. Year over year, our collective giving continues to increase, and our bankers continue to show up as leaders, trusted advisors and volunteers in the neighborhoods where they live and work.

We believe our responsibility extends far beyond volunteering and financial support for the communities we serve. Community banks also need to be advocates for financial literacy, affordable housing programs and better access to financial services.

On the following pages, you’ll read about the organizations we’ve partnered with over the last year, including those focused on building more equitable and inclusive communities; the programs we support that help bring positive economic improvements, specifically in low-income communities; the affordable housing and large grant projects we’ve funded that have wide-spread impacts on vulnerable populations; and other ways our employees and the bank are making a difference in the Pacific Northwest.

Jeff Deuel, CEO

Our Mission

Heritage Bank is committed to improving our communities by driving impact in the areas of:

Business & Economic Development Education & Youth Development Environmental Stewardship Health & Human Services

Social Equity

We will pursue all of our community work and support with a holistic focus on equity and inclusion. Our thriving company culture engages our employees and inspires them to serve our communities in the pursuit of positive change.

TYPES OF SUPPORT

Sponsorships & donations

Corporate match

Employee donations & volunteering

Social Responsibility

At Heritage, we place a high priority on operating in a responsible and respectful manner. We are committed to environmental and sustainability efforts, to our people, our customers and strengthening the communities and markets in which we operate our business. We use the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Commercial Bank framework to identify specific areas of focus. We also follow guidance published by Ceres to identify risks and to further develop our environmental, social and governance platform.

Environment & Sustainability

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

We demonstrate environmental responsibility in various ways, including: Continually reducing our carbon footprint with the consolidation of facilities

Using green janitorial products Replacing standard light bulbs with LED bulbs that have a longer life and use less energy

Repurposing existing furniture whenever possible instead of buying new

Recycling at all locations across our entire footprint

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

We are focused on sustainability throughout our everyday business practices by:

Using technology that provides for a paperless environment and transactional efficiencies

eCycling old technology equipment (31 tons to date) to avoid filling landfills

Using bottle filling stations to save 50,943 plastic bottles from entering landfills

Having a management-led Green Team Committee focused on bank-wide sustainability

“I did not know that different things can be recycled at different spots in town. I thought that glass wasn’t recycled in my town. It is, but only at one spot. So, I organized my neighbors to collect glass at my house so it can all be taken to a recycle center since our town does not allow it to be put in the recycle bin.”

– Taylor Ridenour, Customer Service Associate | Longview, WA

ECOCHALLENGE

Employees teamed up for the Heritage Helps Ecochallenge where they turned intention into action for environmental and social good. From June 6-30, they created new habits by selecting actions that complimented their lifestyle and passions—like reducing their carbon footprint, replacing a meal with meatless options, swapping to reusable drinkware and more!

In just one month, 115 employees and 26 teams completed 3,306 actions, resulting in:

7,279 gallons of water saved

2,501 pounds of CO2 saved

2,376 plastic items not sent to the landfill

645 miles not traveled by car

246 meatless or vegan meals consumed

4,102 minutes spent learning 100 pounds of paper saved

Our Culture & Our People

Heritage’s success depends on the success of its people. As a result, Heritage is focused on the following to enhance employee empowerment:

Thorough human capital and talent management

A range of virtual and in-house courses offered through Heritage Bank University

Professional development opportunities, including Ken Blanchard Companies, Washington Bankers Association, Oregon Bankers Association and Pacific Coast Banking School

Situational leadership training that focuses on communication and employee engagement

A collaborative culture that enables employees to reach their full potential Listening to our employees through various forms of communication, such as quarterly all-employee calls and surveys where employees can share feedback directly with leadership throughout the year

Work/life balance, including telecommuting and virtual meetings

Competitive pay and benefits, with up to eight hours of paid time each year for employees to volunteer at the organizations of their choice

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We recognize and appreciate the importance of creating an environment where all employees feel valued, included and empowered to do their best work. We recognize that each employee’s unique experiences, perspectives and viewpoints add value to our ability to be the leading commercial community bank in the Pacific Northwest. We have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plan, statement, council and officer who has been certified by the National Diversity Council. The DEI Council is made up of a diverse group of employees and is a critical driver in fostering organizational change and establishing a dedicated focus on DEI priorities.

2022 ACTIVITIES

Integrated diversity calendar into Outlook

Published monthly articles highlighting DEI issues and events

Submitted first FDIC Diversity Self-Assessment

Assigned quarterly “Inclusion Insights” video training courses to all employees

Participated in the spring and fall Rainier Scholars College Care Package Program

Provided ongoing training to DEI council members

Designed and launched the custom course “Interviewing and Selection” with an emphasis on avoiding unconscious bias in the hiring process

Presented an overview of DEI activities to board of directors

CELEBRATIONS

Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Black History Month | Chinese New Year | Women’s History

Month | Arab American Heritage Month | Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month | Mental Health Awareness Month | Pride Month | Juneteenth | Age Inclusivity Month | AIDS Walk Northwest | National Hispanic Heritage Month | National Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Veterans Day | Movember | Holiday Celebrations Across the World

BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC)

Homestead Community Land Trust

Black United Fund

Unite Oregon

Coalition of Communities of Color

INTELLECTUALLY & DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

Wonderland Child & Family Services

Pegasus Project

PHAME Academy

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center

Village Community Services

YOUTH

p:ear

Junior Achievement

RAVE Foundation

Amara

Community Youth Services

MILITARY & VETERANS

Stronger Families

The Permission to Start

Dreaming Foundation

Operation Homefront

LOW- TO MODERATEINCOME INDIVIDUALS

Salvation Army

Career Path Services

Housing Hope

Low Income Housing Institute

LGBTQIA+

Community Foundation of SW

Washington

Basic Rights Oregon

Seeding Justice

Cascade AIDS Project

We reinforce our commitment to diversity by partnering with organizations that are also focused on building healthier, more resilient, and inclusive communities.

CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS

El Centro de la Raza

Native American Youth and Family Center

Enterprise for Equity

Kairos PDX

Latino Network

Our Customers & Our Communities

We strive to improve our communities by driving positive economic growth for businesses and individuals of all income levels while ensuring the privacy and security of customer information. We continuously demonstrate our commitment to our customers and the communities, as exemplified by the array of loan, deposit accounts and service options that we offer.

Digital banking services that are secure, cost-effective and sustainable:

– Online & mobile banking

– Online bill pay

– Online statements

Deposit products, such as Fresh Start Checking, that provide our customers the opportunity to reestablish a positive checking account history

Flexible mortgage lending options, such as RDA, FHA, VA and first-time homebuyer loans

Flexible small business lending options:

– In-house quick-decision small business lending

– Small Business Administration lending (primarily 7(a) and 504 programs)

Community development loans, investments and grants with a focus on:

– Affordable housing and community services: Working with multiple stakeholders to maximize lending and tax credits to construct multi-family housing and wellness facilities for those most in need, such as struggling families, homeless youth, elders, disabled persons and veterans

– Economic development: Partnering with the SBA for higher dollar small business lending

– Revitalization and stabilization: Main Street Tax Credit program and lending in opportunity zones

A few employees spent their day volunteering at the Lakewood Lions Club annual Easter Egg Hunt. Caring For Kids, a nonprofit that helps underserved children, filled eggs with candy, books and gift cards; the Lions Club provided a hot dog lunch; and there was a food pantry on-site for those needing to take food home.

Our Camano Island branch “flocked” the Stanwood branch in support of Stanwood High School. A long-time fundraiser put on by the parents of the current graduating class, individuals and businesses can make a donation and send a flock of flamingos to a friend’s, family member’s or business’ front yard.

Heritage in the Community

Several employees helped the Olympia Host Lions Club serve burgers to Capital Lakefair visitors. The festival celebrates and gives back to the community by promoting local small businesses and entrepreneurs, allowing other nonprofit organizations to fundraise for their charities, offering scholarships to students and recognizing the Armed Forces and their families.

Employees in Vancouver, WA, helped Community Energy Project (CEP) build 99 weatherization supply kits for lowincome workshop participants. CEP's free educational workshops teach low-cost energy saving techniques for renters and homeowners, and these free materials provide DIY insulation, draftstopping and energy efficiency.

Our Anacortes team was awarded Best of Anacortes 2022 and recognized for being one of the top three banks in the area.

Corporate Match Program

Heritage Bank will match each employee’s donation dollar for dollar to the community organization of their choice, up to $100 each year. In 2022, the bank matched $45,685 in employee donations through efforts such as these:

$1,035 – General Corporate Match

$29,650 – Match Madness

$15,000 – United Way Employee Pledge Campaign

UNITED WAY EMPLOYEE PLEDGE CAMPAIGN

OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 5

Our United Way Employee Pledge Campaign is a long-time tradition that started back when employees had to fill out a physical form and send it in. Today, our employees continue to give back in a big way, donating over $45,000 to the local United Way chapters throughout Washington and Oregon.

– Goal: $40,000

– Employee Pledge: $45,627

– Bank Match: $15,000

– Total: $60,627

– Number of Employees: 237

MATCH MADNESS

For three weeks in March, employee’s donations were matched two to one. There were even weekly drawings, and the following employees won a bonus match from the bank!

– Employee Donations: $9,350

– Bank Match: $20,300

– Number of Employees: 94

Lisa Dickson – Catholic Community Services

Chad Maiuri – Emergency Food Network

Gabe White – Burlington Royal Family Kids Camp

Kyle Fergusson – International Rescue Committee

Lisa Duett – YWCA of Seattle/King/ Snohomish County

Jim Danicich – Seattle Humane Society

Jana Westphal – UNICEF USA

Annette Merrill – The Dougy Center

Large Grants

BLACK UNITED FUND OF OREGON Addressing Equity & Building Economic Power

In 1983, leaders in Portland, Oregon, noticed that charitable organizations were providing minimal support to communities of color. To combat this inequality, those same leaders started the Black United Fund of Oregon (BUF) as a way to help channel resources to communities of color and to other under resourced communities.

For almost 40 years, BUF has been focusing on positively impacting Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and underserved communities in Oregon by increasing access to social, economic and educational opportunities and working to

reduce systemic inequities. BUF’s work increases postsecondary success for both youth of color and low-income youth, increases equity in the distribution of philanthropic support to communities of color, provides resources and mentorship to emerging BIPOC businesses and entrepreneurs and builds unity and resiliency among organizations served and led by BIPOC and female leadership statewide.

BUF serves the community through three pillars of service: post-secondary options, community giving and community justice and equity. Each pillar offers long-term, culturally specific support that comprehensively addresses equity and builds economic power. Heritage has pledged $40,000 to support two of BUF’s initiatives under these pillars: Mentor4Success and support and resource navigation for Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

Mentor4Success supports youth achievement by offering one-on-one mentorship, postsecondary academic application assistance, professional certification application assistance, scholarship writing and other workshops and early career building support. The program is available to youth regardless of their chosen postsecondary path—from college to the trades to direct-to-career pursuits. Despite its location in historically Black NE Portland, participants in BUF’s programs reside in underserved areas across Portland and in Oregon and SW Washington communities where Black-led, Black-focused resources are few and far between. In fact, many students travel locally or regionally to attend BUF events.

Mentor4Success is BUF’s largest and longest-serving program and, over the years, has evolved with the help of a diverse group of supporters, community members, youth leaders, volunteers and educators to integrate new supports from “BUF Talks” (conversations with career mentors who center Black voices) and deepen the one-on-one mentoring provided.

The Community Justice & Equity (CJE) program equips and empowers local entrepreneurs by providing culturally specific support and access to the tools needed to build and sustain a small business. While the program is open to all, it emphasizes support for emerging Black-owned businesses who have historically been plagued by systemic bias and inequity, which has been exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19. BUF’s full-time CJE coordinator provides the one-on-one mentorship that many business owners of color struggle to access. He also provides resource navigation to help these businesses obtain additional specialized support through technical assistance providers, such as connecting them to culturally specific bookkeepers, marketing and design firms, website developers, strategists and more.

The two programs are linked through their focus on education, which leads to career-preparedness, living wage employment and, ultimately, wealth creation. As Dr. LM Alaiyo Foster, BUF’s president and CEO shares, “At BUF, we believe education is a catalyst of change; with resources, support and opportunity, together we can break generational cycles and instead introduce and reinforce generational thriving. At BUF, we believe we (our collective community) are the change we’ve been waiting for. At BUF, we’re here to serve.”

SALVATION ARMY

Using Mobile Vans to Move Homeless Individuals into

Permanent Housing

The Salvation Army Northwest Division has devised a creative way to connect with those experiencing homelessness: a van. The program, called Street Level, was created in response to the growing homeless population throughout King County, which, according to the Department of Community and Human Services was about 40,800 people in 2020.1

The Salvation Army wanted a better way to connect with those

living on the street or in their cars. So, the two-person team drives the bold red and white painted vehicle around cities outside of Seattle (like Kent, Auburn and Renton) meeting people where they are. In addition to offering something to drink and basic necessities, like socks and personal hygiene products, the team also works to connect them with affordable housing and job opportunities.

The Street Level team is able to take services to the front line of those in need, and it’s with the support of community leaders, housing entities, social service agencies and law enforcement that they’re able to do so. They can immediately assess the needs of each individual or family and develop a plan that makes sense for their situation. This is an essential piece of the program and part of what makes it so successful.

Through the program, the Salvation Army committed to housing eight individuals per quarter for a three-year period. Since then, they’ve housed an average of 28 individuals per quarter, which is three

times higher than anticipated. Since it began three years ago, the Street Level program has permanently housed close to 400 individuals with 97% remaining in permanent housing for 12 months or more. This equates to serving 2-3% of the unhoused population in King County.

While the program has exceeded expectations, there are still thousands of people living in abject poverty facing eviction, mental health challenges, social isolation and, ultimately, homelessness.

The Salvation Army is hopeful that with more vans, they’ll be able to reach more people. So, Heritage donated $50,000 to help with the costs associated with securing and outfitting additional vehicles. As of December 2021, they now have two fully operational vehicles and have purchased two additional vehicles. Street Level is a relationship-based, longterm partnership with a goal to create community that helps individuals find and remain in permanent housing with the confidence, support and network to achieve long-term success.

1 https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/data-insights.aspx

OTHER LARGE GRANTS

Community Action of Washington County

$45,000 over three years

Homestead Community Land Trust

$50,000 over two years

Imagine Children’s Museum

$30,000 over three years

p:ear

$100,000 over five years

Pierce College Foundation

$50,000 over five years

Saint Martin’s University

$50,000 over five years

Shelton YMCA

$50,000 over five years

Unite Oregon

$30,000 over three years

The Oregon Law Foundation was established in 1981 with a mission to support access to justice in Oregon by obtaining and distributing funds to provide legal services to persons of lesser means, promote diversity in the legal profession and educate the public about the law.

Oregon lawyers put client money in a special account called an Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts or IOLTA. Banks and credit unions add up the interest from all the IOLTAs of their Oregon customers and send that interest to the Oregon Law Foundation.

Oregon Law Foundation IOLTA grants are primarily awarded to organizations providing free or low-cost civil legal help to people at or below 125% of the federal poverty guideline.

Civil legal help responds to community needs by prioritizing cases based on close contact with the community. Case priorities are driven by both the number of people experiencing specific problems and the effect those problems have on people’s lives.

The foundation grantees provide core services that are critical for strengthening local communities. They assist victims of domestic violence, help people with disabilities obtain or maintain housing, advocate to increase affordable housing, advocate for the rights of immigrants, help the homeless with legal matters and government benefits, provide education on rights and responsibilities in consumer credit and operate a statewide low income tax program.

As a result of Heritage Bank choosing to participate as a Visionary Level Leadership Bank from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, the Oregon Law Foundation received $60,612. Based on the OLF’s Social on Investment analysis of Oregon civil legal aid, Heritage Bank produced $207,899 of total economic impact for Oregon’s individuals and communities with low incomes.

Oregon Law Foundation IOLTA Program

“Your investment in Oregon Law Foundation’s IOLTA program has helped us bring stability to communities and helped us get closer to justice for all by supporting civil legal help for people and families with low incomes.”

– Bill Penn, Executive Director Oregon Law Foundation

Affordable Housing

began in January 2023. Once complete, the building will feature approximately 95 studio units for single adult tenants who are disabled and formerly homeless, with 25 units used to house homeless veterans.

In addition to the available housing and supportive services, the project will bring many benefits to the Burien community:

• All of the sidewalks will be replaced

• The perimeter will be completely landscaped

• There will be free indoor meeting spaces for community members and both indoor and outdoor space for tenants

• Approximately 20 jobs will be created and filled to keep the building staffed at all times

DOWNTOWN EMERGENCY SERVICE CENTER

Burien, WA

Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) was founded in 1979 to provide emergency shelter and survival services for people living in a state of chronic homelessness. Today, the organization is nationally recognized for implementing innovative, cost-effective strategies that bring people into supportive housing. DESC owns and manages 1,347 housing units throughout Seattle.

Currently, DESC is working on an affordable housing development in Burien, WA, that will create much-needed stable, supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness in the area. A site has already been established and construction

• A new large art piece, created by local artists, will be featured on the side of the building

Heritage provided a $17.5 million construction loan and a $21.4 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investment. We also sponsored a $750,000 Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program grant, which the project was awarded.

NORTHWEST HOUSING ALTERNATIVES

Warrenton, OR

The city of Warrenton, located on the coast of Oregon, has not seen new affordable housing development in some time. The city’s population has grown significantly over the last couple of years, resulting in rising rental costs, and much of the housing

that’s built is on the higher end of the market. Because of this, many cannot afford to live in the community in which they work. Seniors are also being displaced due to rising housing costs— many who have lived in the community their entire life.

Recognizing the need for additional housing options, Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA) partnered with Northwest Housing Alternatives, a Milwaukie-based nonprofit affordable housing developer, to build Trillium House, a new 42-unit affordable housing complex.

The four-story building will include one-, two- and threebedroom units for households earning up to 60% of area median income. Five units will be dedicated to households with serious mental illness; eight units will be reserved for households with project-based vouchers, which ties assistance to a unit versus an individual; and six units will be reserved for households under the agricultural workforce tax credit program, which can be used by workers at seafood processors. In addition to living quarters, NOHA is partnering with Clatsop Behavioral

Other Affordable Housing Projects

Good Shepherd, Seattle, WA – Low Income Housing Institute

New construction of 86 affordable homes

Englewood Garden Villas, Yakima, WA – Shelter Resources

New construction of 257 affordable homes

Trillium House, Warrenton, OR – Northwest Housing

Alternatives & Northwest Oregon Housing Authority

New construction of 42 affordable homes

Healthcare and Clatsop Community Action to provide residents with supportive services.

Heritage provided a $11.6 million construction loan, $9.7 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investment and a $657,600 agricultural workers affordable housing tax credit investment.

Eastern Hotel, Seattle, WA – Interim CDA

Renovation of existing building, 47 affordable homes

NP Hotel, Seattle, WA – Interim CDA

Renovation of existing building, 63 affordable homes

The Southard, Tukwila, WA –

Homestead Community Land Trust

New construction of 18 affordable homes

On September 14, 2022, we hosted our first-ever Heritage Bank Volunteer Day. We closed branches and back offices across our footprint so employees could spend the afternoon volunteering at local organizations. In one day, nearly 500 employees volunteered over 2,000 hours picking up trash, restoring books, packing food/hygiene kits, cleaning up houses and more. Participating organizations included:

Anacortes Schools

Foundation

Auburn Food Bank

Birthday Dreams

Blanchet House

Boys & Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley

Camano Center

Catholic Community Services

Children of the Valley

Clark County Food Bank

Clothes For Kids

Cowlitz Economic Development Council

Family Education & Support Services

Gifts from the Heart Food Bank

Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County

Habitat for Humanity of Island County

Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County

Historic Hillsboro

Downtown Partnership

Holy Cross Lutheran

Housing Hope

Junior Achievement of Washington

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center

Mukilteo Food Bank

Northwest Organization for Animal Help (The NOAH Center)

Nourish Pierce County

PAWS SOLVE Oregon

South Sound Reading Foundation

South Whidbey Good Cheer Food Bank

St. Leo Food Connection

Tacoma/Pierce County

Habitat for Humanity

The Associated Ministries of Tacoma-Pierce County

The Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County

The RE Store

The Trellis Center

Thurston County

Food Bank

Toppenish Community Chest Food

West Tuality Habitat for Humanity

Westside Food Pantry of Vancouver

Whatcom Humane Society

Yakima Humane Society

YWCA Yakima

Heritage Bank Community Development Entity

FINANCING

FOR

VALUABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

In 2021, we formed the Heritage Bank Community Development Entity (HBCDE). The program encourages investments in small businesses and commercial real estate located in low-income communities through a subsidized loan fund offering payment amounts that average 50% of conventional loan alternatives.

The first recipient of this program was a full-service electrical business specializing in design-build electrical systems for federal, industrial and commercial clients.

They were able to secure a loan at below market rates, which allowed them to build a new facility, expand production and create new job opportunities for local residents.

Additionally, the new building is located in the recently designated Cascade Industrial Center (CIC). A long-term joint effort by the cities of Marysville and Arlington, the CIC includes just over 4,000 acres of manufacturing and industrial zoned land.

The CIC supports a wide range of mechanized and technologydriven industries due to its distinctive and abundantly qualified advanced manufacturing workforce, smart manufacturing practices and access to emerging platform technologies. It’s expected to bring in 20,000 more family-wage jobs over the next decade, helping residents work close to home and boosting the local economy.

HBCDE, LLC, a subsidiary of Heritage Bank, has been certified by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the United States Department of Treasury as a Community Development Entity to provide loans, investments and services to low-income communities.

Tamara Brown, relationship banking officer, combined her banking expertise with her passion for social justice by joining the Oregon Bankers Association BIPOC Task Force. The group explores issues, identifies challenges and proposes opportunities related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the Oregon banking industry with a focus on serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities in the state.

“Serving on the BIPOC Task Force gives me the space to advocate and be a voice for the diverse communities in our state. At Heritage Bank, we believe that by embracing, integrating and celebrating our differences we become stronger as an organization, an industry and a country.”

- Tamara Brown, VP, Relationship Banking Officer

OBA Racial Equity Statement

The Oregon Bankers Association is committed to racial equity. We strive for a culture where all employees, members and stakeholders are valued and treated with dignity. We acknowledge that there are historic and systemic inequities in financial services, and we recognize that it is our responsibility to deepen our collective understanding of racial injustice, implicit bias and systemic inequities.

As an industry, the banking community is uniquely positioned to increase economic inclusion through access to safe and sound financial services. We are committed to using our knowledge and resources to increase racial equity and economic inclusion and will:

Strive for more diversity in the banking industry’s workforce, including executive and board positions. Increase cultural agility within the banking industry through training and conversation.

Include racial equity as a lens in evaluating public policy positions. Support bank initiatives to increase e conomic inclusion for BIPOC communities.

Partner with other organizations that share goals of increasing economic justice and access to financial services.

Identify, condemn and end practices that are racist or lead to racial inequity. Learn more at oregonbankers.com/bipoc.

Marlene

Johanson,

Commercial Banking Officer 201 hours

AVP,

“At Heritage, volunteering and giving back isn’t just something we list on our website, it’s fundamentally woven into who we are and what we do every day. I’m honored to work for a bank that shares those same values of giving back and empowers me to be a leader within my community. Volunteering has given me the unique opportunity to share my skills with others, expand my knowledge and expertise, influence the direction of local organizations, network with other professionals and business leaders and, most importantly, make a positive impact in the place I call home.”

Marlene has worked at Heritage for a number of years, mostly in retail as a branch manager and community banking manager. Now in her currently role as a commercial banking officer, she works with business customers to find financial solutions that meet their goals. Her experience in small business lending, branch management and consumer lending gives her a solid foundation to help her customers succeed. As a longtime resident of Longview, Marlene is an avid supporter of a number of local community organizations. She is currently the treasurer for the KLTV board and board president for the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce and is past president for the United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum Counties.

Jess Daly, Relationship Banking Assistant 213 hours

“As a queer woman in banking, it makes a huge difference working for a company that not only believes in the work that you do but is enthusiastic about it too. Since joining the bank, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the DEI Council and Heritage Helps Committee. I believe these types of platforms are crucial in allowing employees to amplify their voices, advocate for change and lead with purpose. I’m thankful for the ability to follow my passions but more so that I’m encouraged to make a change in my community.”

Jess is an experienced banker with a history in business relationship management, portfolio management, commercial lending, SBA expansion and business acquisition. She provides daily support for other business lines, manages accounts, processes transactions and assists with incoming customer inquiries. She also works closely with customers to recommend products, services and solutions that fit their specific needs. Jess actively volunteers at New Avenues for Youth, Friends of Trees, SOLVE Oregon, Cupcake Girls, Oregon Food Bank and Blanchet House. Additionally, for almost a decade, she’s volunteered at and fundraised for Cascade AIDS Project; worked at their summer camp, Camp KC, dedicated to children who are living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS; and is a member of their Ambassador Council.