A Commitment to Service and the WSFS Leadership Ethos

Service, truth and respect — three words that encapsulate the WSFS experience both for our Associates and Clients. Our values, which serve as the foundation of the WSFS Bank company culture, have been built over time through thoughtful, purposeful actions from our visionary leaders and dedicated Associates, both current and former.

WSFS Bank’s nearly 200-year legacy in the Delaware Valley serves as a testament to that enduring leadership, unwavering commitment to its core principles, and big-picture mindset. During an event at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, former CEO Marvin “Skip” Schoenhals, former CEO Mark Turner and current CEO Rodger Levenson highlighted the importance of the culture and building upon the foundation laid by their predecessors as each faced unique challenges that tested the organization’s resilience and values.

Stabilizing in a Crisis: Marvin “Skip” Schoenhals

When Marvin “Skip” Schoenhals arrived at WSFS in 1985, the bank teetered on the edge of survival.

“When I came to WSFS, we were the sixth bank in a five-bank market and inches away from failure,” said Schoenhals. “That really focuses you coming into a situation like that. We could have been put out of business any Friday of the week.”

While Schoenhals faced adversity, he used it as an opportunity, which he outlines in his book From Failing to Phenomenal: The Story of WSFS 1985 to 1996. Under his leadership, the bank didn’t just survive—it began to thrive. In addition to the financial transformation required, he embarked on a long journey to build engagement within the company’s Associates.

“The most important thing about sustaining a company is its culture,” said Schoenhals. “It’s not easily changed. It takes consistency and focus from the top down.”

Growth Through Adversity: Mark Turner

As Mark Turner became CEO in mid-2007, he faced another critical juncture in American banking: the 2008 financial crisis. As the initial cracks began to reveal, many institutions retreated by cutting costs and limiting growth.

“When I stepped into my role as CEO, I told the board we weren’t going to cut back like everyone else,” said Turner.  “Instead, we were going to invest in our future. And it paid off.”

While competitors fixated on survival, WSFS focused on serving Clients who needed banking services more than ever. The bank invested in infrastructure, expanded its reach, and positioned itself for the recovery that would inevitably come.

As Turner outlines in his book, The Path to Sustained Excellence: Strategy, Culture and Team: The Story of WSFS into the 21st Century, WSFS grew from $2 billion to $20 billion in assets, expanded from 16 branches to more than 100, and built a wealth management business with $80 billion in assets under management and administration. This wasn’t growth for growth’s sake — it was expansion driven by a desire to serve more communities and Clients with the same values-based approach.

Turner’s era also saw the evolution of leadership philosophy at WSFS.

“I quickly learned during my tenure that to be successful I had to shift from being a leader of people to being a leader of leaders,” said Turner.

Sustained Culture in Rapid Expansion: Rodger Levenson

As Rodger Levenson became CEO in 2019, he soon faced the COVID-19 pandemic and the workplace adaptations that followed. In addition, the company saw expansive growth by tripling in size through its combinations with Beneficial Bank and Bryn Mawr Trust.  Those acquisitions, along with an investment in talent brought in a 60% new workforce within the span of a few years.

“It has been one of our biggest challenges,” said Levenson. “Sustaining culture during times like this requires relentless focus.”

Levenson’s approach to culture-building focuses on what he calls “the little things.” From ensuring all Associates wear name badges, a practice started under Schoenhals, to personally visiting Associates and Clients throughout the region, these small acts reinforce WSFS larger values.

“Culture is built through management paying attention to those little, subtle details and reinforcing them consistently over time,” said Levenson.

Today’s WSFS operates from 115 locations and serves Clients through a suite of services, from personal banking to wealth management and much more. The organization’s 2,300 Associates carry forward a culture that has been nearly 40 years in the making, serving Clients with the same commitment to service, truth and respect.

More Than A Motto: We Stand For Service

WSFS’s culture of service goes far beyond its “We Stand For Service” ethos.  It’s a daily call to action that influences everything from product development to community engagement.

In 2024 alone, WSFS donated more than $3.3 million and 33,000 volunteer hours to local communities. Much of this includes the actions from We Stand for Service Day where Associates come together to volunteer across the Greater Philadelphia-Delaware region.

As WSFS continues toward two centuries of service, the culture remains one of the greatest competitive advantages.

“As leadership, our responsibility is not just to solve problems in the moment but to cultivate talent for the long-term success of the organization. The decisions we make today ripple into the future,” said Levenson.

This long-term perspective, combined with unwavering values, positions WSFS to continue serving its communities for generations to come.

WSFS Bank’s culture and leadership is part of its recent recognition as one of Philadelphia Inquirer’s Top Workplaces for 2025. If you are interested in joining our associates and experiencing this culture firsthand, you can do so by going to wsfsbank.com/careers.