While visiting Florence about a decade ago, Al Rojas and his family took notice at how friendly everyone seemed. They also loved the scenery and the smalltown feel, which was very different from what they were used to in Phoenix, Arizona.

“It was the kids’ idea,” Al recalls. “They asked if we could move here. I said, ‘Yep, let’s do it.’”

At the time, Al was managing a tile business in a trade where he’d been working for about 20 years. He wondered where he might like to work in Florence, and he noticed Oregon Pacific Bank was a sponsor for a lot of community events and organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life and others.

“I always wanted to work in a bank,” Al says. “It was nice to see their involvement in the community.”

Al decided to apply, and he was hired as a receptionist. Following multiple promotions, he’s now Florence Branch Manager.

“It’s been a really good experience,” he says. “I knew where I was headed.”

Al says his job is to make sure everything’s running smoothly in the office and to oversee all Florence branch operations. “There’s a lot involved; it’s never the same thing,” he says. “Every day is different. We have a strong team that is good at helping customers, and that makes my job easier.”

With the encouragement of OPB’s President and CEO Ron Green, Al joined the board of the Oregon Coast Florence Area Chamber of Commerce about three years ago. He has enjoyed learning more about the local business community and building relationships. He loves joining in to help out the local community through his work with the Chamber, as well as volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and Florence Foodshare.

Al also is involved in a lot of community events as a DJ, something he’s been doing since college. He enjoys keeping up with popular music and plays a lot of weddings and works frequently at Three Rivers Casino.

Al says he enjoys his relationships with the customers and the support of management, who treats all employees with respect.

“It’s a corporate kind of thing, but it has a small company feeling,” he says. “I don’t see myself going anywhere else.”

He encourages anyone who’s interested in banking to give OPB a try. “For someone who wants to grow, there’s always room.”

To find out how we can help you and your nonprofit or business succeed, give us a call at 541-997-7121.