Page 22 - 2020 BusinessWest Difference Makers Program
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>> Continued from page 20
SBy George O’Brien
teve Lowell vividly recalls the conversation he had with his wife, Anne, when he decided to apply for
a position at a bank located on Cape Cod — roughly half the state away from their home in Upton.
“She said, ‘Steve, you can go ahead and take the job, but I’ll tell you right now that we are not moving Emily out of school to go to another place,’” he told BusinessWest, noting that his daughter was in the second grade at the time. “If
I wanted the job, I was going to have to commute.”
Long story short, he took the job, and he did commute — 90 miles each way — for 16 years. And, as we’ll see, he didn’t just commute to the office. In fact, he was at so many community events, and became so involved with all that was happening in that area of the Cape, that people just assumed he lived there and were often shocked to find out he didn’t.
This ‘giving back’ has always been a
big part of who Lowell is, as a person and as a financial-services professional. And he certainly brought this trait to another job he pursued and eventually won — president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank.
Pretty much since the day he took that job early in 2011, Lowell has been active not only in Monson and surrounding communities, but also across the region as a whole, through his work with agencies ranging from the United Way of Pioneer Valley to Link to Libraries.
And when we say ‘from the day he took the job,’ we mean it.
Indeed, just a matter of weeks after he arrived, a tornado ripped across the region — and downtown Monson. As the community began the arduous task of digging out, many looked to the bank, one of the pillars of the community, for guidance and support.
Lowell and the bank responded in
all kinds of ways, from helping to clear debris — he remembers cutting up
fallen trees himself — to providing some leniency on mortgage and loan payments
for those who needed it to emergency loans to help businesses reopen their doors.
For Lowell, who recently announced that he’ll be retiring early next year, ‘giving back’ isn’t just something he does. It’s something he preaches, if that’s the right word. Over the course
of his more than 40 years in banking, he explained, he’s had mentors who taught him the importance of community banks — and the people who work for them
— to be involved in the communities in which they do business. And for decades now, he’s been teaching others.
“I learned early on, if I was going to be successful in this work, that it was important to be involved and give back — not only your monetary contributions, but your time and talent,” he said. “I’ve tried to live by that, and it’s worked out well.”
Thus, he has been a very effective role model for countless young professionals, and also something else — a true Difference Maker in Western Mass.
  A round of applause for Steve Lowell, President and CEO of Monson Savings Bank from all of the employees, board of directors and our community members.
   Congratulations Steve on being named a 2020 BusinessWest Difference Maker!
Steve believes strongly in investing time, resources and dedication to educate, support and help sustain vibrant communities!
Monson Savings Bank would also like to congratulate all of the other Difference Makers!
• Monte Belmonte • Dianne Doherty • Ronn Johnson
• Ira Bryck
• Sandy Cassanelli • Rick’s Place
Member FDIC | Member DIF
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