When longtime Hill residents gather around the campfire and tell tales of Idyllwild banking, they always mention, with awe and reverence, the name of Jeri Sue Haney, recently retired branch manager at PNC Bank. She first came to the Hill in the mid-1970s. She began her career when our local bank was called San Diego Federal and was located in Fern Valley. During the many changes in our local banking scene, she was a reassuring element of continuity and local identity, setting a tone of balanced professionalism and humanity. The Crier spoke to her to take her “exit interview” as she embarks on the next chapter of her life on the Hill.

TC: What is your origin story?

JSH: I grew up in Lakewood and Long Beach, grew up and went to school there. Southern California born and raised. I spent as much time at the beach as I could around school, chores and work. I played volleyball and body-surfed and flirted with the boys.

TC: I’ve read you came to the Hill around 1975?

JSH: I actually came new year’s eve ’76. I came to Idyllwild for a new year’s eve party and never left. I stayed. I got a job within a week, at the Coffee Cup Cafe [present-day Red Kettle}. I also worked at Casa Montana, and the little pizza place, Michelli’s [in Fern Valley, in the Creekstone Inn building.]

TC: How did you get started in banking?

JSH: It was a snowy, blizzardy day and there was a job interview. I arranged for an interview here in Idyllwild. I remember what I wore: floor-length denim skirt, cropped red sweater and moon boots.

TC: In those days, professional dress was stricter, yes?

JSH: Bankers were wearing suits. I was wearing my Idyllwild blizzard hippy costume. The interviewer was the regional manager for San Diego Federal. He said, “You’ve got the job on one condition: You never make me come up here again!” He had moved from Chicago, Illinois to get away from the bad winters. He moved to Palm Springs. He thought he’d never have to deal with snow again.

That’s when the bank was open three days a week. We had myself and one other teller and a manager who was really never there. Two young, green tellers did deposits and withdrawals. It was a savings and loan. A van would come each week and we’d load it up. The van would go location to location and then end up in San Diego and enter the information from paper logs. All the branches were very successful except one, Pauma.

TC: Can you take us through the different names our local bank had?

JSH: First it was San Diego Federal, a mutually owned [member owned, not share holders] savings and loan, back when we had S&Ls. That became San Diego Savings Bank, then Great American Federal. That became Great American Savings Bank which then became a publicly traded company and continued growing like crazy. I think they got hit in the ’80’s when we had a rough time in the economy. A lot of their commercial loans went down, especially in Arizona and Washington state, and that brought the whole company down. They sold branches to Wells Fargo. But Guaranty Bank bought the branches In California.

TC: Then BBVA and PNC?

JSH: Yes. Actually, Guaranty was taken over by the fed and BBVA bought it from the fed. They stopped meeting capital requirements.

TC: And through all these changes you were the continuity?

JSH: They kept us. I came along with the deal.

TC: You saw a lot of changes, paper to computers?

JSH: Sometimes even within the same bank. It was like 10 or 13 years some of them. Sometime in that 10 years we’d go through computer changes. It’s been 43 years. In the old days, in San Diego there were entire buildings housing the computer equipment. Huge amounts of space for all of it. Now hardly any space at all.

TC: Did you handle a lot of mortgages?

JSH: I was more in investments and retail banking than in mortgages. I was licensed to do investments for the last 15 years of my career. I would refer mortgages and home equity loans. The loans I did were more on the business and consumer side. I would take the documents, interview the applicant, then send it off to others.

TC: What is the title for the investment part?

JSH: Investment Representative. I was a woman of many hats. You still have to have licensing just to discuss mortgages, I had to be certified. I had an insurance license, securities series 6 and 63, to sell annuities and mutual funds, bond funds.

TC: In Idyllwild, you worked with a number of local nonprofit organizations?

JSH: There’s the Soroptimists. We used to have a Chamber of Commerce, I held every position with the Chamber. There’s the Idyllwild Community Fund, the Idyllwild Community Center. I helped fundraise with them. I’ve been on the Idyllwild Scholarship Committee for many years, on the board. This year I think I’m going to be the recording secretary.

TC: And you plan to keep some of that up?

JSH: Oh yeah, I’m going to stay on the Idyllwild Scholarship, that’s one thing I’ve said “yes” to. I’ve been a Soroptimist “in absentia” for a couple of years. I’m going to start zoom meetings with them. Idyllwild is my town, it’s a community, I’m part of the community. It’s a very unique place. You’ll take care of somebody and you know if you need a hand you’ll be taken care of. I’ve seen some incredible things happen where the community gets together to get something done.

TC: Can you remember some examples of that?

JSH: One time somebody had their kid disappear. The town came together, started a search through the forest, they found the kid, in minutes not even hours. There was a huge gathering of people to find that little boy. I’ve seen seniors in need and people would come, bring food, firewood, whatever they need. This goes on today. In my neighborhood we have a group text thing. My little dog was missing, I let people know, I used the group text and Facebook. Within a couple hours I had my dog back, from tourists that were staying at Thousand Trails. People lose their purse or wallet and they get it returned instead of stolen. Little things like that happen up here all the time.

TC: Keeping in mind the banker’s duty of confidentiality, can you share something about the people you met on the job?

JSH: This is Idyllwild. One of the reasons I was able to be a branch manager for so many years, I have had the opportunity to build some wonderful relationships and meet incredible people, from all walks of life, and that has fulfilled a big part of my life. One story: A man came into the bank — first time I was meeting him. Our first conversation was about women’s rights, a deep conversation about all kinds of things. It led to politics, to the things we could do. He was a very action-oriented person. As I got to know him, I found out more about him, an incredible person. I learned so much from him. He brought me all his business, recommended and referred friends, he taught me a lot, And it all started with me standing in the middle of the bank and shaking his hand. Something like that would happen so often, I would come home and just be amazed, Idyllwild is an incredible place. So many amazing artists. Idyllwild Arts brings so many talented people. A lot of people are open and friendly and follow up and become friends, have dinner and go to lunch and get to know each other well.

TC: What are some of your favorite things outside work?

JSH: I’m famous for being the go-where-no-man-has-gone-before camper. I’ve traipsed around the backroads of the southwest my entire life. I just loved that. Hiking, taking pictures, I’ve seen phenomenal places, and taken some great pictures.

TC: With your husband?

JSH: And now with my new life partner Scotty; we do the same. As you get older, you don’t hike as far. You have to take it easier, or shorter. I still love it, still doing it. We just came back from a week’s vacation in the Sedona area. Some of it was back roads, got to get that in. I like to cook and do my deck gardening. I’m going to convert it. It turned into an onion patch.

TC: Any plans for the garden?

JSH: Herbs and flowers, make it gorgeous.

TC: Cooking?

JSH: Not a baker, a cooker. I like to try new things. I like to read a recipe and then do it my own way without following it.

TC: Not like banking?

JSH: No!

TC: What about the changes that have come to Idyllwild?

JSH: It’s not the same. but it’s slow moving, slow growing. If you look back 40 years and look at what it’s like now, sure there are changes, but slow growth, the way it’s supposed to be. If you had high highs you’d have low lows. Steady growth is better.

TC: Any “shout outs” you’d like to add?

JSH: When I started in business really young, in ’85, I was invited to be a Soroptimist, by Jan Boss. She was very impactful. She was my mentor. She showed me so many things, how to get things done. She helped me improve at speaking to groups, organizing people, leadership skills.