Berkshire Bank 2025 Names Heather Hans ‘Volunteer of the Year’

PITTSFIELD — As it celebrates National Volunteer Week, Berkshire Bank announced that Heather Hans, vice president, consumer lending compliance officer, has been named its 2025 Volunteer of the Year.

Hans, who donated more than 400 hours last year to volunteering, was selected based on the number of hours she volunteered and because she volunteers with a variety of organizations and actively participates in both company-sponsored events as well as personal activities.

Another 19 employees have been named to the company’s 2025 Volunteer Honor Roll for each having volunteered more than 150 hours in 2024.

Collectively, Berkshire employees achieved a 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. 

“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,” she said.

“Helping others doesn’t have to be a big gesture,” said Hans, an active member of Berkshire’s Capital Region Volunteer Council. “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.”