Berkshire Bank recognizes employees' community service

Date: 5/21/2012

May 21, 2012

GREATER SPRINGFIELD — Berkshire Bank recently announced that six of its employees have been recognized for outstanding community service and awarded Berkshire Bank's Volunteer of the Year Awards.

This annual award celebrates employees who have made outstanding contributions to their communities.

Award recipients were selected based on their strong record of volunteerism and service to nonprofit organizations both in bank-sponsored volunteer projects and in the broader community. An awards luncheon took place in Pittsfield at Berkshire Bank headquarters where the recipients received their awards from Executive Vice President of Human Resources Linda Johnston.

Each award winner also received a $500 donation that will be made to the nonprofit organization of their choice.

Volunteer of the Year recipients include: Sue Gage, branch manager in East Longmeadow (donation made to Dryden Memorial School in Springfield); Heather King, portfolio manager in Pittsfield (donation made to Pittsfield Family YMCA Swim Program); Christie Morrissey, commercial loan servicing specialist, Pittsfield (donation made to Solider On in Pittsfield); Cindy Rosenthal, branch manager, Delmar, N.Y. (donation made to Jezreel International for local relief efforts in Albany, N.Y.); Carol Manuele, portfolio manager, Rome, N.Y. (donation made to Rome Art & Community Center in Rome, N.Y.); and Claudia Caporale, business services officer, Manchester, Vt. (donation made to the Rutland County Humane Society).

According to Michael P. Daly, president and chief executive officer of Berkshire Bank, "Part of what makes us 'America's Most Exciting Bank' is our company and employee's commitment to the community. We believe in promoting volunteerism and community service at all levels of the organization and that's why we established a corporate volunteer program to help employees get more involved locally. These awards allow us to recognize our company's commitment to the community and honor a few of the many employees who went above and beyond by donating their time, talents, and skills to help out in their communities."

The bank's Employee Volunteer Program was established to help the bank and employees give back to the communities in which they live or do business.

Each employee receives paid time off to participate in company sponsored projects that usually occur during regular business hours.

In 2011, Berkshire Bank employees completed 67 volunteer projects in which more than 50 percent of Berkshire's 800 employees participated donating more than 26,000 hours of service through both company-sponsored and individual volunteer efforts to help their local communities.

Berkshire Bank recently received National Recognition from the American Banker Association for their community service efforts through their Employee Volunteer Program.

In addition, the Volunteer Program will host a company-wide volunteer work day on June 6 to carry out a variety of projects throughout all the bank's service areas.

Bookmark and Share