Local banker invests in community volunteerism

In La Conner, there's always one thing you can bank on.

Tami Mason can be counted upon to pitch in and help when a community need arises.

Mason, customer service supervisor at WaFd Bank's La Conner branch, volunteers for several organizations – from the Skagit County Historical Museum and La Conner Sunrise Food Bank boards of directors to the Chamber of Commerce and La Conner Volunteer Firefighters Association.

"I love giving back to others," Mason told the Weekly News on Friday, as she wrapped up another Christmas Giving Tree campaign at the bank.

"The end results," she stressed, "are always the best."

Her volunteering began more than three decades ago, starting with the Skagit County Relay for Life, part of a global movement in support of those who have fought or are fighting the battle against cancer.

An Anacortes native who studied business at Skagit Valley College, Mason is on her second banking tour here. She had worked at the old Valley Bank branch.

"It's amazing," she said, "that I've made it full circle and am back in La Conner after 30-plus years. "This is one of the best communities that I've been involved with.

"I absolutely love this town," said Mason. "Coming back to work here has been very satisfying and I'm happy to be a part of this community. People are always amazed that I don't live in town because I'm here so often."

More than one person wanted her to run for mayor. Alas, she is not a resident.

While volunteerism has always been a major focus for Mason, who with her husband, Bo, resides in nearby Bay View, she initially didn't eye a career in banking.

"I didn't really know I was going to have a banking career," she explained. "Thirty-eight years ago, I was working in the pharmacy at Thrifty Drug in Anacortes. I started looking into what I had to do to be a pharmacy technician, which sounded great.

"Then my supervisors told me that our little store in Anacortes was going to be sold to PayLess," Mason recalled. "I didn't want to work for a big company. I had a friend who worked for a small bank in Anacortes called People's Bank. She thought I had great customer service skills. She encouraged me to apply."

The next thing Mason knew she was a bank teller working with people she had known her entire life, having grown up in Anacortes.

"We had five branches owned by Joshua Green," she said. "The bank was like a family."

But then People's was acquired by US Bank.

"Once again," said Mason, "I didn't want to work for a big company, so I looked for another small-town bank."

She found one in Valley Bank and was delighted to be transferred to La Conner. w

However, as is common within the financial industry, yet another bank acquisition was in the works.

"This time," Mason said, "Key Bank was taking over and I didn't want to work for a big company."

After a brief hiatus, which included a travel job with her husband, Mason hired on with Washington Federal Savings & Loan (now WaFd Bank) in Mount Vernon. She celebratwed her 30th anniversary Dec. 13.

"I was in Anacortes for a couple of years," she said. "Then the customer service supervisor position became available in La Conner and I wanted that position very badly.

"The rest is history," said Mason, "and I've now been back in town for 10 years."

For Mason La Conner represents a small community with big hearts.

"The people in the Town of La Conner are so giving and they care," she said.

The Soroptimist Giving Tree project, for which Mason has volunteered the last six years, is a prime example.

"This town," Mason said, "brings huge results. I work with the Forgotten Children Fund, too, and our community and business owners give to this as well. I've never seen a more giving and caring town."

Mason deflects attention away from her own efforts, choosing instead to praise the work of others.

"The business owners here are remarkable," she said. "They don't compete against each other. They care, work together and are always willing to give when I ask for help with charity activities or donations."

Mason said she doesn't have any traditional hobbies. She leaves that to her husband, who enjoys hunting, fishing and golfing in equal measure.

"I always joke with him saying that I think my volunteering is my hobby," Mason said.

She and Bo together have passed on the values of volunteerism to their 22-year-old daughter, Ashleigh.

"I got Ashleigh involved volunteering at the age of four," said Mason. "We've done Relay for Life, volunteered for the hospital foundation's Festival of Trees and at Burlington-Edison School District, where she lettered two years in a row with Varsity in Volunteerism, reaching 100 hours each year. My husband also helped and got Ashleigh involved at the age of three with Ducks Unlimited and the Washington Brant Foundation. We all are still involved in some way or another."

Many of her bank customers view Mason's volunteerism as more of a second career than a hobby.

"It makes me smile," she said, "hearing people say they've never had a banker be so involved."

At times, Mason catches herself thinking about retirement. Not from volunteering, but from banking.

"But then," she said, "a community member or business owner comes in the bank and talks to me and then I think I can't leave this town. I've really grown to care about La Conner, the people and business owners.

"I'll have to retire someday," Mason acknowledges, "but I hope to continue volunteering. Like I said, I think being involved is my hobby. People always ask and joke, 'how do you do what you do?' I don't know. I just keep giving and caring sincerely with all my heart.

"And this small community," she said, with emphasis, "truly makes my heart happy."