Julie Rice
Julie Rice is a seasoned banking professional with a focus on supporting individuals and small businesses in achieving their financial goals. Beginning her career in 2019 as a teller, she has steadily advanced to her current role as Financial Center Manager at Northwest Bank in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, where she helps clients navigate personal banking, business growth, and for what’s next in their lives. Julie’s passion lies in empowering small business owners, providing tailored solutions for cash flow, financing, and optimizing banking relationships. Her professional philosophy centers on a community-first approach, emphasizing long-term relationships, integrity, and intentionality in every interaction. Julie believes that success in banking is not just about numbers—it’s about building trust, offering thoughtful guidance, and being a reliable partner through major life and business transitions. She also co-leads Northwest Bank’s Next Level Professional Employee Resource Group and mentors new managers, demonstrating her commitment to leadership and professional development. Prior to her banking career, Julie gained valuable customer service and sales experience in retail, which helped shape her people-first perspective. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication from Youngstown State University and actively participates in community initiatives such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer through the American Cancer Society. Julie continues to connect with local professionals through events like Business & Brews, fostering collaboration and growth within the Elizabeth business community.
• Youngstown State University- B.A.
• American Cancer Society
• Sponsor Feel Good Friday Event in collaboration with Firewhistle Brewery to support local nonprofits
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a lot of things, honestly - just drive and wanting the best for myself. I also had a lot of strong females to look at. My grandma was a school teacher and had her master's degree, and my grandpa stayed home because he was a steel worker, so she was the one who was working. My aunt was a nurse and a single parent, and I got to see her raise her two kids by herself while working. My mom was always there for me and my brothers the majority of the time because my dad was always working. It was always nice to see that there were always these female figures around, and they were strong in all their own rights. How could I emulate that and then carry that through? I think being in clothing retail, there were a lot of strong females that were in leadership roles, and I think that also helped shape a lot of how I would want to be driven or want to succeed at a younger age. Now that I'm in this career, I can be what I want to be because I had all of that, and still see strong females in leadership roles that I can aspire to be. I also have to credit my support systems - the people I've worked with in banking who have helped me grow and learn.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to continuously learn, seek guidance from those who can help you grow, and study the paths of people already in the roles you aspire to.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Going into banking, I would say learn as much as you can. Find the people that will help you grow - you will find those people, and when you find them, hold on to them. Even if they move on to different organizations, always keep in touch, because banking's a really small organization even though we like to think it's bigger than it is. These people come with so many different experiences and different ways of looking at how to help your customer. Banking isn't black and white - it's very gray, and you can have similar situations but you're going to have to approach them very differently. Having different people in that community and network to help you and bounce ideas off of is really going to help and set you up for success. Also, before you're in the role you want, seek advice from other people who are already in that role. See what they're doing and don't be afraid to ask questions.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in banking today are navigating its nuanced, sometimes complex nature and adapting to a rapidly changing industry. Opportunities lie in enhancing customer experiences, developing sales and mentorship programs, and creating local networking resources to support communities and professionals.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I do everything with integrity and in ways that I would be proud of. I never want to go home and feel like I didn't do my best or give my all, or that I didn't think of something. Everything I do is with integrity, so I always make sure I'm staying on top of our current products, services, policies, and procedures to ensure I'm not doing anything that would harm my organization or my customer. I want to make sure I'm always doing things I can be proud of.