Berkshire Bank Presents Employee Volunteer of the Year Awards
Five Employees Honored for Outstanding Community ServicePITTSFIELD, Mass. - Berkshire Bank announced that five of its employees have been recognized for outstanding community service and awarded Volunteer of the Year awards under a new bank program that encourages employees to follow the Berkshire Bank spirit and give back to their communities.
Award recipients were selected based on their outstanding record of volunteerism in their communities and their service to non-profit organizations. Ceremonies and award presentations were held in each of the bank’s regions of Massachusetts, New York and Vermont and a $500 donation in the name of each winner was made to the nonprofit organization of their choice.
Volunteer of the Year recipients include:
Deborah Melle, Pittsfield, MA, Berkshire Insurance Group – Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter
Leslie Hogue, Pittsfield, MA Loan Review Specialist – Pittsfield Girls Softball League
Sandra Lee, East Greenbush, NY, Branch Manager – Girl Scouts
Sandra O’Neil, East Longmeadow, MA, Teller – Project Homeless Connect and the Lion’s Den Youth Center in Springfield
Beth Naples, Manchester, VT, Financial & Trust Administrator – Boy Scouts of America
“We’ve created the Volunteer of the Year awards to recognize those who exemplify Berkshire Bank’s overall commitment to the communities in which we do business,” said Peter J. Lafayette, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. “Each of these individuals demonstrates concern and dedication to making a difference for our customers and neighbors and we are proud to have them on our team.”
The Volunteer of the Year awards are part of the new Employee Volunteer Program at Berkshire Bank, which encourages volunteerism and community service at all levels of the organization through group work projects for non-profit organizations. Since its founding in May 2008, more than 125 employees have taken part in volunteer projects sponsored by the bank. Recently completed projects include work done at the Christian Center in Pittsfield, Housatonic RiverWalk in Great Barrington, the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Rensselaer (NY) Public Library and the Northshire Day School in Manchester, VT.
Background
Berkshire Hills Bancorp is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It has approximately $2.7 billion in assets and is the parent of Berkshire Bank - America's Most Exciting BankSM. Berkshire provides personal and business banking, insurance, wealth management, and investment services through 48 banking and insurance financial centers in western Massachusetts, northeastern New York, and southern Vermont. Berkshire Bank also offers the added benefit of providing its depositors 100 percent insurance protection, regardless of amount, based on a combination of FDIC insurance and the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF). For more information, visit www.berkshirebank.com or call 800-773-5601.
