A dedicated afternoon for employees to give back to the people and places they call home. Heritage Bank is hosting its first-ever Volunteer Day on September 14, 2022. As part of this philanthropic effort, all Heritage Bank locations will close at noon on September 14 […]
Imagine if instead of fumbling through a maze of 1-800 numbers to find product experts spanning across multiple offices within one bank, there was one person who brought together all of these experts on behalf of your business needs. This common-sense approach, known as a […]
Online shopping has been on the rise for some time now. And in a year when people have been staying home more, it’s likely that consumers will turn to their computers and phones to do most, if not all, of their holiday shopping. According to […]
Everything changed for nonprofits when COVID-19 first appeared in our communities. The organizations had to deal with increased demand, fewer resources and new rules for operation—and people had lost any semblance of routine. This resulted in severe mental health crises and challenges were exacerbated. So, […]
“I don’t know that you could really plan a pandemic in a way better designed to really just bring a kayak manufacturer to its knees.” Scott Holley, president and co-owner of Eddyline Kayaks, is direct about the challenges his company faced early in the pandemic. […]
These days we practically live our whole life online. School, work, banking, doctor’s appointments, shopping, meal delivery. But that means we place enormous quantities of personal information on the web that hackers and thieves may try to steal. At Heritage Bank, we work hard to […]
At Heritage Bank, the health and safety of our customers and employees remains our top priority as news continues to circulate around the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Our teams are actively monitoring updates from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well […]
“Mom, I want that!” “Dad, can I get this?” “Why can’t I just get a new one?” Ever heard your kid say something similar? Children typically learn from observation and imitation more than any other method. As you do your best to make sound financial […]
For most of us, the new year brings a fresh batch of “New Year’s resolutions.” We set lofty goals, stick with them for a while and then slide back into old, comfortable habits. Instead of setting yourself up to fail, consider simplifying things instead. As […]
Compendium is a place where people love to come to work every day. As President and CEO Kobi Yamada says, “I don’t go into the office, I go to the playground.” Compendium makes products that inspire people from pop-open cards to gift books, notebooks and […]
When Maidee Watson graduated college, most jobs in chemical engineering were in southern California and Texas. Plus, it was the tail-end of the 1980s recession. Exploring her options locally, Maidee widened her scope by embracing her love of art, travel and gardening. Watson’s Greenhouse and […]
Teresa Dean, our retail banking sales manager, is known in the office for her insanely yummy treats. So when she agreed to share two of her most requested holiday dishes, we were pretty excited. If you have a holiday party coming up (or any occasion […]
We get it—it’s frustrating not being able to go to the branch on Saturday. People work during the week and may not have time to get there before the branch closes. But don’t worry! We have plenty of alternatives so you can still get your […]
The Thurston County Food Bank’s mission is to eliminate hunger. They serve Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and the surrounding areas. Heritage Bank has been a partner with the Food Bank for many years because we both believe when neighbors help neighbors, the whole community benefits. That’s why when […]
The Pacific Northwest is known for its lush forests, scenic coastlines and towering mountains. Whether you’re new to the region, a lifelong resident or just visiting on vacation, there’s an abundance of outdoor activities for everyone. Here are some of our favorite spots to explore. […]
The U.S. middle market, as defined by the National Center for The Middle Market (NCMM), is comprised of companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. It reaches all industry segments—both publicly and privately held companies—and includes family-owned businesses, partnerships and sole proprietorships. […]
Nearly a third of the nation’s households are financially burdened when it comes to owning or renting a suitable home. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), more than 30 percent of their income goes toward housing. The association cites the following factors—labor […]
Our digital lives are becoming more sophisticated, and technology is changing rapidly. So it’s important to keep up with trends and arm yourself with knowledge about identify theft, scams and Internet traps that could compromise your personal or financial information. Phishing Scams Identity thieves like […]
Tax-exempt bond financing, used primarily to support the common good in areas like healthcare, affordable housing, education and many nonprofit organizations, allows eligible borrowers to raise funds for capital expenses. At a time when affordable housing is a major focus in the Puget Sound, tax-exempt […]
We are excited to share with you our very first Community Investment & Giving Annual Report. The report covers our corporate giving, top volunteers, signature volunteer events, capital campaigns and the number of community organizations we supported in 2018. […]
What if your bank acted as a consultative partner rather than a cold transactional entity? Most banking institutions have subject matter experts in a variety of roles. While this is ideal, most business customers don’t want or need variety, they need a quarterback who can […]
Switching banks can seem like a daunting task. Where do you start? Who do you contact first? Will your current bank make it difficult to leave? We’ve put together some tips and tricks below to help you get started—and show you it’s not as scary […]
Cornelius has long been known for its agriculture heritage and continues to serve the farming community throughout the Portland metro area. While this area has experienced tremendous growth, affordable housing to meet the needs of the community was lacking. Heritage Bank, along with the city of […]
Budgeting can either make or break your financial stability. Financial mistakes occur from time-to-time so it’s important to know how to reduce your chances of making them, and having a solid budget will help you maintain your financial freedom. Here are five tips on creating—and […]
We recently discovered that some of our customers received phone calls from scammers pretending to be bank representatives and asking for sensitive information like mother’s maiden name, Social Security numbers, entire card numbers and personal identification numbers. There are a number of phishing techniques that […]
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is collectively defined as a company’s continued commitment to improve the economic development and well-being of its communities, while also maximizing shared value for the business, employees and shareholders. CSR is not required to operate a business but it has become […]
As September rolled around, Heritage employees jumped at the opportunity to give back to their communities by volunteering for the annual United Way Day of Caring in their county. Day of Caring is one of the largest volunteer events in Washington where individuals and organizations […]
Tragically, one in five kids live in a household that struggles to put food on the table. In Pierce County alone, there were more than 113,000 visits a month to food programs—33% of those being children under the age of 18. It’s no surprise that […]
Before you can make the transition from renting to owning a home, you may need to have a down payment. Down payments typically range from five to 20 percent of the home’s value but this can vary depending on the house you want to buy, […]
My passion for running started at Marshall Middle School in Olympia, Washington—I ran a mile in 5:02, which became the school record that year. I continued to run throughout high school and our team even won the state championship in cross country. When I left […]
Whether you’re looking to buy a new home, purchase a car or make any other big purchase, it’s always smart to ensure you have a good credit history. Tip #1: Request a copy of your credit report and make sure it’s correct. Your credit report […]
“So that no person goes hungry” is more than the Emergency Food Network’s tagline; it’s part of their driving mission. The Emergency Food Network (EFN) began in 1982 when local Pierce County organizations recognized the need to stock emergency food due to the economic recession. […]
Back in the day, I think there was this perception of financial advisors as a person sitting across the table telling their clients what to do and how to invest their money. People also view financial planning as time consuming and expensive, when in reality, […]
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government established in the 1950s to aid, counsel and assist America’s small businesses and provide support to disaster victims. Today, it assists more than 30+ million small businesses in the areas of finance, […]
Community banking is an easy business model. I’ve said this before. It may be surprising to hear, but I truly believe it—with one caveat. It’s easy when you stick to the proven fundamentals of the model. At Heritage Bank, these include good communication, proper risk management, continuous improvement, and […]
Saving money is a hurdle many people face. Some people feel they don’t have a large enough income to put anything in savings, while others make impulsive spending decisions with money they could be saving. The reality is that you should be saving money for […]
As a Navy wife, I’ve had the opportunity to travel all over the world. It started when my husband was stationed in England for three years. It was the first country I’d ever visited and I immediately fell in love. Everything was so old, and […]
I joined Heritage Bank in 2009 after decades with large banks and I was immediately taken by our “community bank model.” In addition to providing financial services to the communities we serve, we also encourage everyone on the team to participate in their communities with […]
One of the things I like most about Heritage Bank is the culture of celebrating our differences—the things that we do away from work that make us stronger individuals personally and professionally. For me, that’s being a mother, running and hiking. Being a mother is […]