AKRON, Ohio – Aug. 6, 2024 – Westfield Bank announced a new partnership with The Goodwill Industries of Akron, Ohio, Inc. to offer a vehicle loan guarantee program to moderate and low-income individuals in Summit and Medina counties.
“As a community bank, partnerships like this are essential to our efforts to best serve our neighbors throughout Northeast Ohio,” said Krista Dobronos, SVP, consumer banking leader at Westfield Bank. “We’re grateful to Goodwill for working with us to connect people in need with transportation while also ensuring that our deposits have a positive impact right here at home.”
“Westfield Bank is a true community champion in Northeast Ohio, which is why we appreciate this opportunity to partner with them in our shared effort to make transportation more accessible in this region,” said Nancy Ellis McClenaghan, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of Akron.
The program is designed for individuals who have faced difficulty obtaining a vehicle loan through traditional lending options or that may be at risk for predatory lending practices. The Goodwill Industries of Akron is currently working with other community partner agencies to pilot the loan program in both Summit and Medina counties with the hope to open to a larger demographic in the coming months.
For more information, individuals can contact Goodwill Industries of Akron at (800) 989-8428 or resources@goodwillakron.org.
Front Row L – R: Cheryl Murrin (Westfield Bank, AVP, Retail Manager
Medina), Krista Dobronos (Westfield Bank, SVP, Consumer Banking
Leader), Laura Walker (Goodwill, VP, Mission Services), Aaron Barnhart
(Westfield Bank, SVP, Retail Banking Leader)
Back Row L – R: Chuck Hollingsworth (Westfield Bank, VP, Commercial
Loan Officer), Nan McClenaghan (Goodwill, President & CEO), Cody
Perdew (Goodwill, Community Resource Programs Manager)
About Westfield Bank
Since its founding in 2001, Westfield Bank has become one of the leading financial institutions in Northeast Ohio. Westfield Bank provides comprehensive personal, business, and agency banking products and services.
A testament to the positive work culture and efforts in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, Westfield Bank was honored with a 2023 NorthCoast 99 Award by ERC. The award recognizes the top 99 employers in Northeast Ohio that make a notable difference in their employees’ lives and their communities’ economic vitality. Additionally, the Bank was awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 award from The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com for the fourth year in a row. A workplace that embraces creative thinking, the importance of collaboration, and encourages an innovative mindset is signature to the work philosophy at Westfield Bank and the work environment that supports a positive work-life balance for employees.
Supported by Westfield Insurance, one of the nation’s 50 largest property and casualty insurance groups, Westfield Bank has grown to manage more than $2 billion in assets. The group’s motto — Sharing Knowledge. Building Trust. — is lived out each day by employees across Northeast Ohio.
Learn more at westfield-bank.com
About Goodwill Industries Serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland Counties
The Goodwill Industries of Akron, Ohio, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation that helps individuals prepare for, find and retain employment. Operating in the five-county region of Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland, the agency was established in 1927. It is a private, independent organization, operating as an affiliate member of Goodwill Industries International. Goodwill helps to directly strengthen the region’s workforce through its employment programs and indirectly through the net proceeds from its retail outlets and business services division.
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Contact: Leah Davis
(330) 786-2519
ldavis@goodwillakron.org
Contact: Christine Van Ausdale
(330) 661-6285
ChrisVanAusdale@westfield-bank.com