Citizens Banker Ethan Kinsey And Valor Men’s Grooming
Ethan Kinsey has been a part of the Citizens team since 2017 and has been a small business banker since 2022. While he never imagined being a banker growing up, he highlights that working in the industry gave him both the career advancement he wanted and the opportunity to help people.
When first starting his career, Kinsey worked as a personal banker, and with the support of his managers, he quickly rose into a management position and oversaw multiple branches in the Pittsburgh area.
Even so, he always had his sights set on a role working with small businesses.
When the business banking role opened in September 2022, he jumped at the opportunity. “I knew I loved business and small business especially, and I thought I could really make an impact,” he said.
Citizens Small Business Community Champion – Valor Men’s Grooming
One highlight from his career as a small business banker came just a few weeks ago, through Citizens’ annual Small Business Community Champions award. The Champions initiative shows appreciation for the integral work small businesses do in their communities.
This year, one of Ethan’s small business customers – Valor Men’s Grooming – was recognized as one of Citizens’ 2024 Small Business Community Champions. Valor is a veteran-owned barbershop that provides grooming services to all as well as discounts and free services for military, police, and first responders.
The owner of Valor, Chuck, first came to a Citizens branch location to open an account and start his business in 2022 – just as Ethan was beginning his career as a business banker. Today, Ethan will be there to help Chuck and Valor optimize their financial picture and achieve their future goals.
“The impact I saw that had on the owner – and that I know this award is going to have on the community – was actually truly the highlight of my whole business banking segment of my career,” Kinsey says, remembering his call to Valor about the award.
The award not only recognizes the work of these small businesses; it also provides a grant of $10,000 to help recipients continue their important work.
“When I called Chuck and let him know, he got really emotional,” Kinsey recalls, “and he started telling me all these great things that he’s planning to do with this money to help other people.”
What It Means to Be a Small Business Banker
If he could describe his work with small businesses in one word, Ethan says it would have to be “fulfilling.”
“Every day, I get to meet different business owners, different businesses… families that have worked really hard to grow and live their dream,” he says.
Being able to see new businesses every day, understand how they operate, and see what they’ve brought to life is an amazing experience. But for Ethan, being a part of the process to help others achieve their goals was the most important thing.
“A lot of the time they [small businesses] are growing, and I get to be a part of that growth through optimizing their financial picture for the business,” he says, “there’s been nothing more fulfilling than that in my career so far.”