Berkshire Bank Announces

A Latham resident has been selected as Berkshire Bank 2025 Volunteer of the Year. As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, Berkshire Bank is pleased to announce its 2025 Volunteer of the Year, an employee whose extraordinary dedication to our communities includes donating more than 400 hours last year to volunteering in the Capital Region of New York.

Volunteering is a powerful way to unite and lift up those around us. It’s also second nature to our 2025 Volunteer of the Year, Heather Hans, VP, Consumer Lending Compliance Officer, who spent 400+ hours giving back to her communities last year, and 19 other employees who made our 2025 Volunteer Honor Roll by volunteering 150+ hours.

Collectively, Berkshire employees achieved a remarkable milestone in 2024: 100% volunteered in their communities. That included more than 250 company-sponsored projects with more than 11,500 hours of service across Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as thousands more hours volunteering as individuals in their hometown communities.  

Named for the X in its logo, Berkshire’s XTEAM Employee Volunteer and Giving Program is a central element of its workplace culture, providing employees with an easy way to help the company’s communities realize their full potential.  

Latham resident Heather Hans, vice president, consumer lending compliance officer, was selected based on the over 400 hours she volunteered, because she volunteers with a variety of organizations, and she actively participates in both company-sponsored events as well as personal activities.  The primary beneficiary of those hours was the American Cancer Society – Capital Region of NY. She’s on the event leadership for its annual Relay for Life fundraiser and also supports its gala, holiday gift wrapping and other activities. Other nonprofits that benefit from Hans’ giving back include:  

  • To Life, a Capital Region breast cancer nonprofit;

  • Equinox Inc., a domestic violence nonprofit, in support of its annual Thanksgiving dinners for those in need in the Capital Region;

  • Wreaths Across America, in support of flags for veterans at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery;

  • Several Capital Region food pantries;

  • Cards for Hospitalized Kids, which orchestrates hand-made cards to be sent to children in hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across the country;

  • The elementary school PTA in North Colonie Central Schools.

“Helping others doesn’t have to be a big gesture,” Hans said. “I believe it’s the little things that make the difference and Berkshire does too, which is why I’m so grateful to work at this organization. That’s who we are.”

Beneficiaries of Hans’ efforts include: Relay For Life of the Greater Capital Region, NY; To Life!, a breast cancer nonprofit in the Capital Region of NY; Equinox, Inc.., a domestic violence prevention nonprofit; and Wreaths Across America, among others.

“Our 2025 Volunteer of the Year is a shining example of Berkshire’s values in action,” said Lori Kiely, managing director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. “Her commitment to giving back to our communities is what we mean when we say, ‘Where you bank matters.’ Supporting our communities is a key component of our culture across the organization.”  

In appreciation for Hans’ efforts, the Berkshire Bank Foundation will make a $1,000 contribution to ACS of the Capital Region of New York, which she selected to receive the special grant. The foundation will also donate $250 to nonprofits selected by each of the members of Berkshire’s 2025 Volunteer Honor Roll.

About Berkshire Bank  

Berkshire Bank is a relationship-driven, community-focused bank that delivers industry-leading financial expertise to clients in New England and New York and is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.(NYSE: BHLB), headquartered in Boston. With $12.3 billion in assets and 83 financial centers, the Bank provides a full suite of tailored banking solutions through its Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, Private Banking and Wealth Management divisions. For more than 175 years, Berkshire has delivered strength, stability and trusted advice to empower the financial potential of its clients and communities. Newsweek named Berkshire one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America and one ofAmerica’s Best Regional Banks. To learn more, visit BerkshireBank.com and follow Berkshire on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Catherine O'Connor