The Faces of Marine

Meet Claudia Morgenthaler

Bronx native Claudia Morgenthaler and her family made the move to Port St. Lucie after 9/11 forced her father to shutter his jewelry business after 35 years. Restarting the family business in an unfamiliar town would require a family effort. Claudia helped with sales, marketing, operations, and networking – skills that would benefit her for a lifetime.

When the family business began to struggle in Florida, Claudia leveraged her networking talents to land a part-time job at a community bank. As a child in New York, she was fascinated watching the tellers handle and count money – never thinking it was a possible career. She quickly discovered the job required more than handling cash. It was about providing financial education, building a rapport with clients, and helping businesses and families.  The more experience she got, the more driven she became to help even more people.

In April, Claudia joined Marine as the Assistant Manager of the Fort Pierce branch. “I was attracted to Marine because of the culture, and the appeal of serving the community. I feel empowered to help others.”

A whiz at languages, Claudia is fluent in Spanish, understands Italian, Portuguese, French, and some ASL – and wants to learn German, Mandarin and Japanese. 

While volunteering at the Treasure Coast Film Festival, she met her husband who is also from the same area of NY.  

She is an avid volunteer and full-on Ghostbuster. As a member of the Ectoforce, a charity group focused on children, she supports the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, Children’s Miracle Network, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She is also a new member of the Fort Pierce Rotary Club and looks forward to networking with local leaders and changemakers committed to “Service Above Self.” 

“I strive to be and the example I want to set for my daughter, Gabriella.  Being able to not just work but help others and make the world a better place.”

When Claudia is not working or volunteering, you can find her crafting, painting, or contemplating her next travel destination.