Sunflower Bank

Sunflower Bank recently awarded its 2008 Volunteer of the Year and Volunteer Star awards – recognizing employees who go above and beyond, devoting time and effort to respective communities.

Rebecca Schmidtberger, mortgage loan officer in Sunflower Bank’s Russell location, earned the top prize – Volunteer of the Year award. Schmidtberger logged more than 200 hours helping various causes and efforts in the Russell community. Schmidtberger, who joined Sunflower Bank in 2006, volunteers for numerous causes, boards and efforts in Russell including serving as the Russell Chamber of Commerce’s president in 2009 after a term as vice president in 2008. She also is a board member of Russell Main Street, Russell PTO, Rotary Club, Russell Convention & Visitors Bureau. Schmidtberger also is active on the council for Ruppenthal Middle School and Russell High, and she’s a presence at city and county commission meetings, and is involved with Leadership Russell County.

Jennifer Bonham, branch manager at Sunflower Bank McPherson, received Sunflower’s Volunteer Star award. Bonham devotes volunteer time to several efforts in McPherson County. She was instrumental in the planning of the 2008 All Schools Day parade and led the Pink Pajama Party, a fund-raising campaign fighting breast cancer. She served on many other initiatives in McPherson, including Girls Night Out Event and Walk, McPherson Optimist Club, McPherson Main Street, and has helped with other McPherson downtown events.

Finally, commercial lender Chuck Scott, based in Sunflower Bank Manhattan, also earned Sunflower’s Volunteer Star award. Scott joined Sunflower Bank in 2002, and his commitment to Manhattan has persisted throughout his Sunflower Bank tenure. In 2008 alone, Chuck served as President of the Manhattan Baseball Association and the Mustang Strength Association, Treasurer of Pi Kappa Phi Delta Chi Housing Corporation, and Coach of the 10-and-under Wildcats AA Baseball Team, MBA Assault (4th Grade Basketball Team), the Patriots (4th Grade Flag Football Team – City of Manhattan Park & Recreation Team). He also is continually involved with K-State and Manhattan schools, serving as a mentor within the PowerCat Mentor Program to two K-State student athletes, assistant coach of the Manhattan Track Club and a volunteer adviser to the Manhattan Cross Country Club.

“We’re extremely proud of Jennifer, Rebecca, and Chuck,” said Phyllis Pickel, Executive Vice President. “Part of our mission is to make all of our local communities better places to live, and our three honorees carry that spirit everywhere they go. They truly make a difference.”

Sunflower Bank’s Volunteer Star awards are given annually by the bank to employee achievers throughout the organization who make a difference in their local communities. As a bank, Sunflower Bank encourages employees to spend time helping and aiding their community, and each year, Sunflower Bankers devote time and expertise to their respective communities. All told, Sunflower Bank employees totaled more than 22,000 hours of volunteer time in 2008.