A temporary job becomes a calling and dream career

Anneliese Hein

Never, in her wildest dreams, did Anneliese Hein imagine her stint at a local community bank would become her dream career. “This was supposed to be a temporary job,” laughs Anneliese. “I was pre-law and looking for something different. After working with the people here, I knew that I had found my niche and decided not to go back into law.”

Hein’s “temporary job” led to a successful 30-year career in human resources at American River Bank (ARB) and Bank of Marin. She was hired in 1992 as a receptionist and financial services representative and—within a year—became ARB’s first human resources coordinator. “The bank was a small operation without an HR department. That changed almost overnight when ARB acquired the Sacramento office of the Bank of San Francisco,” says Anneliese. “That’s when I began building out the HR department.”

Throughout the years, Anneliese—Bank of Marin’s compensation manager—has worn many HR-related hats. “From HR coordinator to ARB’s HR director, I’ve enjoyed it all. What I have loved most is seeing the people I’ve coached succeed. It’s nice knowing you had a little part in supporting someone’s journey.”

Colleagues appreciate Anneliese’s positivity, and her commitment to both her profession and the people she works with. Retail Banking Regional Manager Lisa Cisneros, who has worked with Anneliese for more than a decade, says, “Balancing the needs of the bank while simultaneously advocating for employees is one of Anneliese’s many strengths. Her knack for coaching, empowering, and hiring the right candidates helped us build a great team.”

While she’s known for her great advice and infectious laughter, Anneliese is equally known for her signature potluck dish: brown sugar bacon wrapped sausages. “It’s definitely an office favorite,” chuckles Anneliese as she recalls the time she brought something other than her signature dish. “It was 100 degrees and I brought ice cream. I never knew ice cream could disappoint anyone,” she laughs. “From there on forward, if my name was on the potluck sign-up sheet my colleagues made it a point to remind me to bring in ‘my dish’. I’ve never brought anything else since.”

What keeps Anneliese going? The people. “Relationships are the backbone of our bank and of our business,” she says. “Finding solutions that best take care of our people is what I enjoy most.”