In 1905, Rozi Gosztonyi became the first female bank president in Pennsylvania’s history. Arriving in Bethlehem in 1892 with husband John, the two soon opened a bank aimed at helping immigrants who like themselves had made their way to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tragically, however, John died several years later, leaving management and leadership of the bank to now widowed Rozi Gosztonyi.
Under the leadership of Rozi Gosztonyi, the Gosztonyi Saving and Trust Bank thrived for decades. The business saw its peak during the prosperous 1920’s. The Great Depression did not spare the Gosztonyi bank, however. In 1934, the bank was forced into reorganization, being eventually sold five years later. Rozi Gosztonyi stands as a symbol not only of the perseverance that guided many immigrants to find success in America, but of the courage to succeed when others think it cannot be done.
