ABA honors 10 community banks with leadership award.

PositionABA RESOURCES

THE AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION has recognized 10 banks for their outstanding leadership by honoring them with an ABA Community Bank Award. The 2012 awards were presented in seven categories ranging from Improving Financial Literacy to Reaching Out to the Underserved. Winners were announced at ABA's National Conference for Community Bankers in Palm Desert, Calif on Feb. 21.

The ABA selection committee awarded 10 banks from a field of nearly 200 nominations based on the innovation, creativity and effectiveness of the bank's approach to making a difference in its community.

The 2012 award winners for extraordinary work are:

Building with Habitat for Humanity

* Liberty Bank, Middletown, Conn, for its partnership with Habitat for Humanity to launch a Habitat Re-Store in its community. The Re-Store accepts donated items and resells them for a minimal profit, which is later used to build new Habitat homes. The program benefits the community by reusing donated items, offering lower-income families an opportunity to purchase items at a reduced price, and providing funds to build new Habitat homes.

Encouraging Volunteerism

* First Interstate BancSystem, Billings, Mont., for their methodical, thorough and unique approach to encouraging volunteerism and helping local nonprofits continue to serve the community. Their program matches charities in need with volunteers based on their professional skills, experience, and leadership capabilities to address specific needs of the community. This approach helps nonprofits build and sustain their capacity to bring real solutions to the most pressing social problems.

* Florida Gulf Bank, Ft. Myers, Fla. for their bankwide commitment to volunteerism in the community. With nearly 100 percent staff participation, Florida Gulf Bank reached out to their community through 12 separate volunteer-driven initiatives that resulted in reaching and aiding many needs throughout the community.

Fundraising for Foundations & Local Groups

* 1st Summit Bank, Johnstown, Pa. for the 1st Summit Bank Employee Foundation which serves "quality of life" projects in the counties that the bank serves. Recipients include museums, area libraries and playgrounds, to name a few. The Foundation is driven solely by donations from the bank's staff and officers, and is not part of the bank's corporate donations. These funds have provided resources to many community initiatives.

* Summit State Bank, Santa Rosa, Calif, for their fundraising...

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