Banking has defined Ellen Luczkowiak’s life for the past 37 years and she’s not stopping anytime soon.

The current vice president and branch manager of the KeyBank in Dunkirk came upon banking as a part-time teller only to make it her career.

“I started in banking in 1984 with Marine Midland Bank here in (Dunkirk) as a part-time teller,” Luczkowiak said. “I went through the ranks and then we became HSBC where I spent about 28 years. I moved around the county to many different locations so that I could get a feel for banking.”

She went through several positions during that time, from a business banker to a licensed banker. She acted as a concierge (premier relationship manager) for select customers and continued to grow with the next company, First Niagara when HSBC left in 2012, taking on the vice president branch manager role.

Ellen Luczkowiak

When First Niagara was sold to KeyBank, she was moved to the Westfield office for three years and came back to head up the Dunkirk branch on East Fourth Street. It is a far cry from Genesee Community College where she studied fashion merchandising.

“I did go back to school for a three-year excelerated program through HSBC to get my banking certification at the University at Virginia through the Consumer Banker Association,” Luczkowiak said. “What I enjoy most about my job is the diversity in people that I see every day helping them, whether it’s a business or their personal lives. I like to build relationships and that’s what any good bank should do. Wherever I went, whether it was Jamestown, Gowanda or Westfield, people tended to follow me which was really unnecessary, but very rewarding to me because they felt that confidence.”

She has also been heavily involved in the community.

“That’s something I learned very early on in banking,” Luczkowiak said. “When you’re involved in the community that’s how you get your connections, that’s how you build yourself.”

She currently serves as the president of the Dunkirk Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of the Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care. She also is a board member of The Chautauqua Center and a member of the Dunkirk-Fredonia Rotary Club. In the past she’s been involved with the Boys and Girls Club.

At M&T Bank, Jennifer Vahl has shared a similar career path. A graduate of Cassadaga Valley High School class of 1989, she loves spending time with her family, including her husband Rick, daughter Cortney and grandson Camden.

“After high school, I went to work for Tops Markets in Dunkirk where I worked for over 16 years,” Vahl said. “Customer service has always been a passion. I love getting to know people and helping them achieve their financial goals. I have watched many young children grow into local business owners and parents themselves.”

At the time, M&T had a branch in Tops, so she worked very closely with the branch staff. During a conversation one day, they asked if she ever thought about changing careers.

“I didn’t know much about banking, but the manager at the time said – ‘we can teach banking, but we can’t teach customer service and people skills,'” Vahl shared. “In 2006, I made the decision to move my career to M&T and have been with the company ever since.”

She started her career with M&T at the Jamestown South Side branch and then moved to the Mayville branch. In 2018, she was promoted to senior branch manager of the Fredonia branch, which is the role she holds today.

“My favorite thing about my job is my customers,” Vahl said. “I love learning about their needs and goals, and taking tours of local businesses. We have such an amazing variety of businesses in Chautauqua County, I would take tours five days a week if I could. Another thing I love about my job is educating students, and helping individuals with retirement and life insurance. I have many stories where people are unaware we even offer these things, even my parents.”

Currently Vahl sits on the board for the Citizens for a Better Cassadaga and Fredonia Jazz Society. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Dunkirk-Fredonia, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County.

“I can’t see myself going anywhere anytime soon,” she said. “I have a lot more to give back to this place I call home, and many more people to help prepare for the future.”