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Steve Ott Retires from Woodsboro Bank in Thurmont

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Woodsboro Bank congratulates Steve Ott on his retirement in June 2021.

Ott has been in the banking industry for over 46 years, with 23 at various Farmer’s & Mechanics Bank branches in Thurmont, Emmitsburg, and Frederick Towne Mall, as well as 23 years with Woodsboro Bank. At retirement, Ott had worked 33 total years in Thurmont.

Since joining Woodsboro Bank, he has been the Branch Manager of the Thurmont Branch for many years and oversaw all branch operations.

“I liked working with the people and the community,” Ott said, especially, “being involved with the community activities like the Community Show, the Thurmont Police Shred Events, Thurmont Economic Development meetings, and the Thurmont Business Expos.”

Ott plans on, “relaxing, relaxing, and relaxing,” in retirement. In that order.

“We are very thankful for Steve’s years of service to the Bank and will miss him greatly. We wish him the best in this next chapter of his life,” said Woodsboro Bank President & CEO Steve Heine.

Woodsboro Bank Welcomes Crystal Wiles and Announces Michelle Green’s Promotion

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Woodsboro Bank is pleased to announce that Crystal Wiles has joined the team as Vice President and Controller. Ms. Wiles has over 30 years in the financial services industry with experience in finance, accounting and strategic planning. Most recently, Ms. Wiles was the Chief Financial Officer at Frederick County Bank.

“With her banking expertise and love for our great community, Crystal is a perfect fit with us as we continue to move forward in being the local community bank of Frederick,” said Steve Heine, President and CEO of Woodsboro Bank.

Ms. Wiles is a native of the Frederick community. She received her A.A. degree in Accounting from Frederick Community College and her B.S. degree in Finance from Mount Saint Mary’s College. She serves on the board of the Frederick County Humane Society.

Michelle Green has been promoted to Vice President of Risk Management and Financial Officer. Ms. Green joined Woodsboro Bank in June of 2018 as an Accounting Specialist. Ms. Green expanded her role to being named the Bank’s Controller in 2019.  Ms. Green has over 25 years’ experience in the banking industry involving the branch banking, accounting, operations, and risk management.

Ms. Green attended Towson State University receiving a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance. Also, she has her CAMS and CBAP certifications. She has an active membership with the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists LLC (ACAMS) and volunteers with her children’s school athletic events in Hanover, PA.

WOODSBORO BANK CELEBRATES 120 YEARS OF SERVING FREDERICK COUNTY

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James Rada, Jr.

The year 1899 marks the year that aspirin was created. It is the birth year for Al Capone, Duke Ellington, and August Anheuser Busch, Jr. Henry Bliss became the first person killed in a car accident in the United States. And, Woodsboro Savings Bank of Frederick County was chartered on May 1, 1899, with $25,000 in capital stock.

Today, 120 years later, the bank headquarters remains in Woodsboro, and six branch offices—Downtown Frederick, Monocacy, Thurmont, Rt. 40, Guilford Drive, and Homewood—are thriving.

“We have survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the great recession. That’s an achievement,” said Woodsboro Bank President and CEO Stephen K. Heine.

Although the three-story brick headquarters for Woodsboro Bank on North Main Street in Woodsboro looks aged and historic, when it was first opened in 1901, it was state-of-the-art.

“The building was equipped with every modern convenience and featured innovative fire and burglar proof vaults,” according to the bank history on the Woodsboro Bank website.  

“We were the bank that funded the vast majority of businesses here, as well as the families,” Heine said.

The building, which was the heart of the town, was also home to the post office, a grocery store, and the Woodsboro Opera House. Community gatherings were held in the opera house space. Later, the Washington Camp No. 44 Patriotic Order of America held its lodge meetings in the building, and a dentist had his offices.

As the bank grew, its need for space increased. A two-story annex was built onto the rear of the building in 1984, and five years later, a one-story addition added drive-through banking to Woodsboro Bank’s services.

Then, in 1995, Woodsboro Bank took over the opera house space (which had closed in 1953). A floor was added in the opera house, giving the building a full third floor. However, the designers preserved the wooden proscenium, painted mural, and original opera house piano, which can still be seen today.

“We’re truly a modern bank, but you have to respect history,” Heine said.

The bank was growing outside of Woodsboro as well, particularly during the 1990s. It changed its name from Woodsboro Savings Bank to Woodsboro Bank in 1995, which seemed to reflect the bank’s growth.

“Up until the 90s, we were a traditional community bank,” Heine said.

Woodsboro Bank opened its first branch in Thurmont in 1993. Other branches soon followed.

The Monocacy Village branch opened in 1997. The Downtown Frederick and Rt. 40 branches opened in 1999. ATMs came along in 1995 and expanded the bank’s reach into Trout’s Market and Sheetz stores in Thurmont and Taneytown.

“As Frederick started to grow, the bank knew we needed to be part of the Frederick community,” Heine said.

Growth has continued into the 21st century. The Guilford and Homewood branch offices opened. A new Thurmont branch was built, and an art deco building in downtown Frederick was purchased to house Woodsboro Bank’s commercial operations.

Although Woodsboro Bank offers all of the services that larger banks offer, it remains focused on community banking.

“There’s a need and a want among businesses and individuals for a community bank,” Heine said. Heine explained that people want to be treated like individuals and to have bank employees work with them to find a solution to their banking needs.

While the bank’s customer base has grown throughout Frederick County, Woodsboro is still the bank’s home.

“This is our home. We are loyal to the community, and the community is loyal to us,” Heine said. He explained that the bank supports over 60 not-for-profit businesses and community organizations with money and volunteer hours.

Community banks like Woodsboro Bank are quickly disappearing, as they are absorbed into other larger banks, but Woodsboro Bank is thriving as an integral part of Frederick County.

The bank plans to celebrate its anniversary with a dinner at McClintock’s Distilling on May 14. There will also be a BBQ for colleagues and their families at Woodsboro Town Park in June.

The Woodsboro Bank building on Main Street in Woodsboro, was in the heart of the town. It was also the location of the Woodsoboro U.S. Post Office.

The building was also home to the Woodsboro Opera House, where community gatherings were held.

Woodsboro Bank, Frederick County Humane Society and K-9 Unsung Hero Fund joined together to provide the Thurmont Police Department with a new K-9, Majo. Steve Ott (VP/Branch Team Leader, Woodsboro Bank), Steve Heine (President & CEO, Woodsboro Bank), and Consie Meyers (VP/Business Development Officer, Woodsboro Bank), Connie Graff (Director, Frederick County Humane Society) and Martin Burall (VP/Technology, Woodsboro Bank and President, Frederick County Humane Society) visited with Corporal Duhan and Majo.

Majo is on the Job with Thurmont Police

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James Rada, Jr.

Watching Majo jump around, waiting for Tim Duhan to throw a lacrosse ball, it’s hard to imagine that the nineteen-month-old German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix is a trained law enforcement officer. On the job, Majo is all business, as he tests the air for the scent of hidden narcotics.

“He’s 100 percent a puppy still, and he’s also ball crazy,” said Duhan, a corporal with the Thurmont Police.

Majo is trained as a narcotics dog and has been on the job since September 2018. He came from the Czech Republic, and the Thurmont Police purchased him from Castle’s K-9 Inc., a company in Pennsylvania that imports and trains police dogs.

The town had a budget of $10,000 to purchase and train Majo, but the bill came out to be $12,600. However, the Humane Society of Frederick County donated $1,600 and Woodsboro Bank donated $1,000 to make up the difference.

“Another couple of agencies wanted to make him (Majo) a dual-purpose dog, but we got him first,” Duhan said.

Some dogs can also be trained as a patrol dog, besides smelling for certain scents. This “bite work” is left to dogs with a temperament for it and a reputation for being tough like German shepherds or Doberman Pinschers.

“The town didn’t want a dog that would bite, though,” Duhan said. “They wanted a social dog, and Majo is very social.”

Majo also does his police work well. So far, he and Duhan have been called out for scans three times, and drugs were found every time.

This comes from Majo’s daily training. Duhan not only exercises him, he trains him through scanning scenarios.

“With a dog like this, he should be doing some sort of drug training every day,” explained Duhan.

Majo takes over the position of canine cop from Buddy, a black Labrador retriever who was medically retired in May. He was running and playing when he injured himself in an accident.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Duhan said. “I saw him running down the yard and turned away for a moment. When I turned back, he was doing a somersault and hit a tree.”

Duhan rushed over to Buddy and discovered that the dog couldn’t get his front legs to work. He rushed him to the veterinarian for care. It was discovered that Buddy had permanent nerve damage to one of his legs, and it had to be amputated.

“He still could have done the job, but the town was unable to get insurance for him,” Duhan said.

Buddy still lives with Duhan, his family, Majo, and Duhan’s large Pyrennes. The dogs get along well, except they fight over toys like children. Duhan will still let Buddy do drug scans because the retriever likes the activity.

“He watches me do it with Majo, so I also let him scan,” Duhan said. “Even after being retired, I could probably certify Buddy now.”

Corporal Tim Duhan stands with Majo, a trained narcotics dog with the Thurmont Police Department.

Photo by James Rada, Jr.

New President & CEO of Woodsboro Bank

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Stephen K. Heine has joined Woodsboro Bank as president and CEO, effective immediately, following the announcement of the retirement of C. Richard Miller, Jr. late last year. Mr. Heine has thirty-five years of banking experience, most recently as a group vice president for M&T Bank, where he was responsible for ninety-six branches in Central and Western Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia. Prior to M&T, he held various management positions that included executive vice-president of Farmers and Mechanics Bank in Frederick, and executive vice president of Consumer and Business Banking, Provident Bank, Baltimore.

Mr. Heine, who resides in Frederick with his wife, Carole, and four children, is active in the Frederick community, where he serves as the YMCA of Frederick County, chair-elect; St. Katherine Drexel Catholic Church, Corporator; and the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek. He is on the Alfred University Board of Trustees. His past board affiliations include Frederick County Chamber of Commerce; American Red Cross of Frederick County; and The Maryland Science Center, Baltimore.

He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Albany and a Bachelor of Science from Alfred University. He is a graduate of Leadership Frederick in Frederick, and Leadership Capital District, Albany, New York.

Natalie McSherry, chair of the Board of Directors of Woodsboro Bank, said that the Board was pleased with the number of highly qualified candidates who had indicated an interest in the position, and that the Bank was extremely pleased that Mr. Heine would be leading the Bank going forward.

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