Community Bankers of Michigan

Mark Kolanowski, President and CEO, Highpoint Community Bank, Receives 2019 “Best of Community Banking” Award

Jim North, Chairman of Community Bankers of Michigan (CBM), announced that Mark Kolanowski received the “Best of Community Banking” Award for 2019. Kolanowski received the honor at the Community Bankers of Michigan 45th Annual Convention, recently held at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City.

“As the President and CEO of the Community Bankers of Michigan, I was extremely honored to present this award to Mark Kolanowski,” said Michael J. Tierney. “Mark is and has been an excellent role model for all community bankers with what he has done for the bank, his employees, and perhaps most importantly, the community.”

Mark has been President and CEO of Highpoint Community Bank (formerly Hastings City Bank) for over 18 years. During his tenure Mark has led his team through the many changes and innovations that new technologies allow, most recently Interactive Teller Machines (ITM’s). Mark has been a member of the CBM board since 2006, and served as board chairman in 2015.

He has kept the strength of the bank at the forefront, reflected in part by the 40 consecutive quarters Highpoint Community Bank has held a Five Star Superior Rating from Bauer Financial. He focuses on the staff and ensures they are well taken care of – and the bank has received the honor of being recognized for the 11th consecutive year as being one of the best and brightest companies to work for in West Michigan.

Kolanowski was both humbled and honored when his peers overwhelmingly named him for the 2019 Best of Community Banking award. “I accept this award from my community bank peers as recognition of what I have done for community banking throughout the years,” he shared. Mark continued, “Receiving the award has motivated me to look for even more ways I can contribute to the community over the next several years, and to the bank I have been so fortunate to lead.”

In addition to his role at Highpoint Community Bank, Mark serves on the Barry County United Way executive committee and is a past president and campaign chairman.

Patricia Brown from ChoiceOne Bank receives the first annual CBM "Rising Star" award

Patricia Brown

Joining ChoiceOne Bank in 1996 as a bank teller, Patricia Brown progressed through the organization to Branch Manager and CRA Officer in 2011 and Vice President, Regional Branch Manager in 2015. She was promoted to her current role of Vice President and Commercial Lender in 2018. As a recent graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin – Madison she believes in continuous education to grow personally and within the banking industry.

Patricia Brown is leading the direction to focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in West Michigan as the bank deepens its roots. Brown’s efforts extend to all four counties the Bank serves, including Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa counties.

As CRA Officer, Brown is fully immersed in her responsibilities. In addition to leading ChoiceOne Bank’s community efforts, she is also active in multiple organizations. She is currently Secretary for West Michigan CRA Association, President for Mid-Michigan Banking Group, Board member for Engine House no 5 in Allendale, and has served as Treasurer for Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Brown’s mission as CRA officer is to foster relationships with not for profit organizations to drive volunteer hours and donations. These partnerships involve many employees and hundreds of hours donated to local organizations including Kids Food Basket in Kent and Muskegon Counties, True North in Newaygo County, Muskegon Oceana Community Action Partnership (MOCAP) in Muskegon County, and Habitat for Humanity in Kent and Muskegon Counties to name just a few.

Brown was also instrumental in overseeing ChoiceOne Bank’s Partnership with the Fremont Area Community Foundation to launch the Kickstart to Career Child Savings Account program. This program will provide an education savings account and financial literacy training for over 500 Kindergarten students in Newaygo County.

Last year, ChoiceOne Bank, led by Brown and her team won the 2017 National Community Bank Service Award presented by the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) for providing innovative banking solutions and bilingual financial literacy programs to the employees of local farms. In December 2017, Brown and ChoiceOne Bank were invited to the Michigan House of Representatives Finance committee to formally discuss the outreach program.

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