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| Fate played a hand
when Terri Hemry found herself a transplanted high school senior
in the small community of Glencoe. She had already taken all
but one of the classes offered at the local high school and was
looking for new challenges. In order to fill Hemry's school day with something meaningful and new, the Glencoe school superintendent recommended she attend Meridian Technology Center.  That suggestion
began a series of events, accomplishments, and the blending of
several types of education that led Terri Hemry to her position
today as the vice-president of BancFirst Stillwater. She also
coordinates the bank's public relations and customer sales development.
It also makes her one of Oklahoma's Career Tech Champions.Career Tech Champions are alumni of the system's programs or student organizations who have found success in a career and attribute much of that success to their career tech experience. Hemry recalled the first time she visited the vo-tech school with her mother. "From the moment I walked in the door of Meridian, I knew I had to go there," Hemry said. "I had always been somewhat interested in banking, so I enrolled in the banking, savings and loan services program." It wasn't long before Hemry realized she had made a very wise choice. "I gained the confidence that I needed to push me toward pursuing a career I had only casually considered previously," she said. "I had a wonderful instructor who found my strengths and helped me realize that I could do this." Hemry remembers that projecting a professional image, as required by the banking industry, did not seem "cool" to her as a high school senior. Fortunately, her instructor was sensitive to this common concern among her teenage students and devised a modified mode of dress that was adequately professional, but offered her young charges comfort, as well. "She also taught us of the many 'do's and don'ts' of the workplace," Hemry said. Besides image, the young banking student learned about compliance and regulatory standards of the banking industry, including balancing a teller window. "I was able to walk out of career tech and directly onto the job with the skills I needed to perform the many job tasks that go along with banking," Hemry said. Throughout Hemry's training, she excelled at competition and testing. Her success in the classroom confirmed banking as a career that was not only interesting to her, but for which she had a demonstrated talent. In 1983, she received the Outstanding Student Award as well as her Banking, Savings and Loan Services Certificate. Hemry began her banking career as a teller. Since then, she has steadily climbed the banking ladder to her current position at BancFirst. Along the way, she has earned many awards, with the most recent, a promotion to the bank's vice-president. She was also named Oklahoma Future Business Leaders of America Outstanding Business Person for 1998, and BancFirst Banker of the Year in 1996. "My current title means that I am responsible for projecting an 'image' of BancFirst to the public. I encourage individuals and businesses to bank with us. I find new people in town and assist them with general questions they may have as a newcomer to our community, as well as offering our banking services," she said.  "I also train the account
officers on their selling skills and product knowledge."Hemry has a unique perspective and respect for career and technology education based on her own success. That success has prompted her to continue learning through a myriad of specialized courses and training opportunities. It also led her to a college degree. In December 1998, Hemry earned her bachelor of science degree in Finance and Commercial Bank Management from Oklahoma State University. "Whether a young person or adult student, a college-bound freshman or seasoned career person, you cannot help but benefit from vocational education," she said. "Vocational education offers the opportunity to learn how to perform on the job. You are immediately employable upon completion of your course of study." Hemry views her Career tech experience as perfectly suited for her career goals. However, she also appreciates and respects the value of blending other educational opportunities. "Career tech can benefit those who are college bound in several ways by giving them the skills to earn a living while attending school. Also, students can learn about a profession - to know if they wish to pursue further study at the university level," she said. "Career tech training puts you on the cutting edge of technological skills - a real advantage over class peers in college." For Hemry, successful completion of vo-tech training led her to her present position in the banking industry. But the greatest lesson she learned is the belief in herself and her abilities. "A career tech education makes you employable for life. It will give you the skills to perform on the job as well as the ability to be a terrific employee," she said. |
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| posted 1/5/2001 |
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