What happens when a history major who can’t land a hotel housekeeping job walks into a small community bank as a temp receptionist? For Sharon Anderson, it turned into a 25‑year career, a crash course in leadership during COVID‑19, and a front‑row seat to how much impact one small bank can have on a community.

In this episode of Women of the MOV, host Phyllis Smith sits down with Sharon Anderson, president and CEO of Williamstown Bank. Sharon shares how she went from a PHS grad with a history degree to running a community bank—without ever planning to work in finance.

She opens up about being named CEO in March 2020, just weeks before shutdowns forced Williamstown Bank to close its lobbies and rethink everything, including a brand‑new branch built around a nonprofit coffee shop. Sharon also talks candidly about what it’s like to be a woman in a historically male‑dominated industry, how lonely leadership can feel, and why her faith keeps her going on the days she’s ready to “throw in the towel.”

🎙️ In This Episode:

• How Sharon went from temp receptionist to CEO at Williamstown Bank
• What it was like to step into the president and CEO role right as COVID‑19 hit
• How her team pivoted when a new coffee‑shop‑style branch opened in February 2020—then had to close its doors weeks later
• Why community banking has been so male‑dominated, and how West Virginia is quietly becoming a leader in women‑run community banks
• The pressure of leading a 60‑person staff, keeping a “game face” on, and managing stress so it doesn’t trickle down to the team
• How Sharon wrestles with self‑doubt, why she believes “the higher up you go, the lonelier it gets,” and the role of faith in her work
• The story behind The Giving Cup and how nearly $90,000 in donations have gone to local nonprofits and schools
• How a flood relief effort in southern West Virginia showed Sharon how even a small bank can create lasting change
• Why community banks matter: from first homes and first cars to local scoreboards, schools, and nonprofits

📍 About Williamstown Bank & The Giving Cup:
Williamstown Bank is a community bank serving the Mid‑Ohio Valley with a focus on local customers, local decisions, and local giving. Its nonprofit coffee shop, The Giving Cup, is located inside the bank’s Lubeck office and donates proceeds to organizations including North Star, House to Home, the Arc of the Mid‑Ohio Valley, and partner schools in the area.