Kathleen Sayce, a scientist with a background in botany and community ecology, has been with Shorebank Pacific in Ilwaco, Washington, since 1998. As science officer with the bank, Sayce is the only working biologist or botanist at a commercial bank in the United States.

ShoreBank, which has an Ilwaco office serving nearby communities, concentrates on sustainable lending, considering loan applications with a long-term view rooted in conservation and community as well as economics. It is the first commercial bank in the U.S. with a commitment to environmentally sustainable community development. The bank uses a “triple-bottom-line” approach that evaluates loans on the basis of community and environmental planning, as well as financial planning.