Employee Spotlight: Laurie Foster

Laurie Foster is vice president of loan operations at Pacific Crest Savings Bank. She is also one of our longest tenured employees, having been with the bank since 1992.

Laurie’s career path at Pacific Crest demonstrates what’s possible when you’re dedicated to working hard in a rewarding environment that continually offers new and different challenges. After graduating with a business degree from Central Washington University, Laurie first started at Pacific Crest – then known as Phoenix Mortgage – in an administrative role. She soon found her niche in lending and worked her way up through the loan processing department and eventually into underwriting.

Today, as the vice president of loan operations, Laurie oversees the administration of the company’s loan processing systems and has continued her role as an underwriter, sitting on Pacific Crest’s loan committee. She’s part of the team that works to understand borrower’s finances and unique circumstances in order to help find their best lending solutions. According to Laurie, the work is never static and she loves the problem-solving aspect of helping clients realize their goals.

Hear more from Laurie about working at Pacific Crest:

“We’ve developed a supportive culture here and I enjoy working alongside colleagues who operate with integrity and truly care about the work they are doing for our clients. But not only are we here for our clients, we’re here for each other – when it’s “all-hands-on-deck” everyone contributes to our collective success, and those are the moments that have been most meaningful to me over my career.”

“Pacific Crest has also been a place where I can trust my instincts and follow my heart – both in advancing my skills professionally, and also in making important decisions in our clients’ best interest. As a community bank, we aren’t beholden to some of the same requirements as larger institutions, and I think that gives us a more down-to-earth feeling that I truly enjoy.” .

Fun Facts:

What is one of your favorite family traditions: My family likes to camp throughout Washington. Some of our favorite spots are Grayland Beach State Park, and destinations around Eastern Washington – the Tonasket area and Spectacle Lake are a few of our go-tos during the summertime. We also have a shared family property on Whidbey Island, so we try to spend as many weekends there as we can.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have been bungee jumping!