YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Premier Bank awarded Ashley Roberts, AVP, commercial construction draw supervisor, the eighth annual Jeff Vereecke Community Impact Award. 

The award recognizes an associate who shares in the bank’s dedication and passion for spreading kindness, doing good deeds and making communities stronger by demonstrating superior service to the community in which they work and/or live, a news release states.

Roberts was selected as the recipient of the award by Premier Bank’s executive management team and by Karen Vereecke, widow of Jeff Vereecke, former executive vice president and northern market area president for Premier Bank, who died in 2014 after a battle with cancer. 

“Receiving this award means so much to me because at Premier there are so many people who are out in the community doing wonderful things,” Roberts said. “To be recognized for my contributions lets me know my colleagues are paying attention and hopefully getting inspired.”

Roberts credited her parents for setting a good example.

“My mom, who was adopted, always gave back to the community by being a foster parent and providing a clean, safe environment for many children who were not in a good environment. My dad volunteered at Youngstown City schools as Santa Claus to put a smile on kids’ faces who may not have had Santa visit their homes,” she said. “My parents always took care of people in need and provided shelter for so many.”

As part of the award, Roberts received $2,500 to donate to nonprofit organizations of her choice. She chose to donate $2,000 to the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley and $500 to Common Wealth Inc. to benefit The Baldwin Community Garden.

Roberts’ nomination highlighted her community involvement throughout the Valley, which includes Alta Head Start Pre-School Program, American Cancer Society, Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio, Mahoning County Saint Vincent de Paul Society, the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, the Youngstown City School District and the Youngstown Community Garden Association. 

Roberts actively volunteers for and participates in many bank-sponsored events such as the collection efforts for Animal Charity of Ohio’s grand opening event, Downtown Youngstown Partnership’s First Fridays Downtown Youngstown Chalk the Walk event, the annual Panerathon, Youngstown CityScape’s annual Streetscape event and the Youngstown Holiday Parade & Light-Up Night. 

She also serves on the board of directors for the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley and is treasurer of The Woodland Trail Condo Association’s board of directors.

“Premier Bank’s OWN IT core values encourage associates to genuinely be a good person, inside and out, always put others best interests/needs before themselves and to be a mentor and a leader. That is truly the accurate definition of Ashley Roberts,” Ashley Douglas, commercial loan closer, said in her nomination of Roberts. “She is a natural born leader personally as well as professionally as she leads the successful Commercial Construction Draw Team, is a part of Premier Bank’s Mentor Program and is continuously spreading positivity and encouragement to everyone around her.”

Pictured at top: From left are Josh Toot, executive vice president, Mahoning Valley market president for Premier Bank; Ashley Roberts; and Gary Small, president and CEO of Premier Bank.