Aaron Durnion
Where do you live? Mount Olive, New Jersey.
Current company and position? I work for Valley Bank headquartered in Morristown, NJ. I am a Commercial banker holding the title of First Vice President and have been with Valley for just over 12 years.
First job and what it taught me? I worked at a rest stop as my first job when I was 14 which involved everything from serving coffee and ice cream, to working in the kitchen and cleaning. I worked with people from the ages of 14-70+, people from different countries and people that had never left the state of New York. Some of the individuals I worked with were struggling to get by on their wages and yet were some of the hardest working people I have met to this day. It taught me to never judge a person based off of what they do as circumstances beyond our control can often dictate a person’s situation. This was something my parents had expressed to me and my siblings, however experiencing it firsthand was what made it take hold.
How do you embrace your Irish heritage? I grew up playing football at Paddy’s Field and Gaelic Park in the Bronx and continue to love the sport today including introducing it to my Italian-American Mother-in-Law who is now a proud Tyrone supporter. I love Irish music and my two little ones are quickly learning to love it as well, while my sister Leigha also performs herself which has definitely helped! We have a close group of family and friends that has supported each other for close to 40 years through good times and even more so through the bad times. There is nothing more Irish than that.
Something people would be surprised to know about me... I lived in Fermanagh for 6 years without picking up an accent.
Biography: Aaron was raised in the Bronx prior to moving to Rockland County, NY. He and his family then moved to Fermanagh after the passing of his father, Francis, and eventually attended the University of Ulster in Derry studying business. After graduating from university with honors Aaron moved back to the US to pursue a career in finance. Aaron is now is married with two children, Ronan and Kennedy, living in New Jersey.
