Columbia Bank announces Community Service Awards

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Columbia Bank recently announced its 2019 Community Service Award winners, part of a statewide program that recognizes outstanding community support efforts by the bank’s employees. Columbia employees receiving this year’s special recognition were:

• Shannon Jefferys, of South Plainfield, who serves as president of the South Plainfield Education Foundation and the Rotary Club of the Plainfields, and as treasurer of the South Plainfield Business Association. She also serves as a volunteer at Rutgers University, the Suburban Woman’s Club of South Plainfield, South Plainfield High School, and the Senior Citizen Pancake Breakfast. She is financial services officer at the bank’s South Plainfield branch office.
• Amy Lewis, of West Milford, who serves as president of the West Milford Rotary Club, and is treasurer and den leader for West Milford Cub Scout Pack 9. She is also a member of the West Milford and Greenwood Lake Chambers of Commerce, a founding and board member for the town’s Bears Travel Baseball team, a committee member for the West Milford Autumn Lights Festival, and a volunteer for both the Marshall Hill School PTA and Community Engagement Committee of Bergen and Passaic Counties. She also participates in the March of Dimes Walk for Babies and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Jersey Metro Chapter. She is financial services officer at the bank’s West Milford branch office.
• Jennifer Nixon, of Maple Shade, serves as a board member for the Maple Shade Business Association and has been involved with many town endeavors, including their Fourth of July Celebration, Sidewalk Sale, Community Festival, Soccer Club and “A Place To Go” after school program. She is also an active participant in the March of Dimes Walk for Babies. She is assistant branch manager at the bank’s Maple Shade branch office.
• Minoska Mateo, of Elizabeth, serves as acting executive director for the Columbia Bank Foundation, distributing more than $1.7 million in donations to charitable organizations that make a measurable impact in local communities served by the bank. She has also helped to coordinate several fundraising activities, including a companywide kickball tournament, the bank’s annual golf outing, and helped to prevent the foreclosure of Shelter Our Sisters, a local shelter for battered women. Mateo has been recently appointed the bank’s strategic project officer.
• Todd Malkin, of Fair Lawn, was a past president of the Fair Lawn Rotary Club, as well as an executive board member and chairman of several club committees. He has also served as a Fair Lawn Zoning Board member and is currently a member of the Strengthen Our Sisters board of directors, recently helping to organize Columbia’s efforts to support this organization. He is the bank’s vice president of special assets.

In presenting the awards, Thomas J. Kemly, president and CEO of Columbia Bank, noted, “At Columbia Bank, we have a strong commitment to support and strengthen the communities that we serve. Each of these dedicated individuals exemplify our mission and we thank them for their outstanding work.”

  Columbia Bank