Jeanne Firstenburg is the recipient of the Chairman of the Board Caring Heart Award. The belief that “Community banking is about giving back to your community” is brought to life through Jeanne’s business practices as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at First Independent Bank. Over the past five years, the bank and the Firstenburg family have invested more than $26 million in local nonprofits, hospitals and universities. By starting the Helping Hands program at First Independent, Jeanne has created an environment where employees can give back to the community by donating their time and talents. She is credited with reinventing the family-owned community bank into a very successful regional company with nearly $1 billion in assets and a bright, sustainable future. Prior to First Independent, Jeanne was a bank regulator for the state of Washington and before that, worked at the accounting firm of Knight Vale and Gregory in Olympia. Much of her experience was earned during her 15 years of running a small wholesale manufacturing business. Although she had planned on a career in medicine from a young age, Jeanne saw firsthand the world of small-business, having a mother who was a florist and a father who was a landscaper. She ended up graduating magna cum laude from St. Martin’s University in Lacey, WA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Accounting. In addition to her vibrant career at First Independent, Jeanne commits a great deal of time and energy to the local community. She serves as a board member of the Southwest Washington Medical Center Foundation, as well as its capital campaign, which exceeded its $50 million goal and is a member of the Clark College Foundation Board. She was also a board member of the Washington State University Advisory Council, a fundraiser and volunteer for YWCA Clark County, including as a member of the Classic Wine Auction Advisory Board and past chair of the “Go Red” campaign for the American Heart Association in Clark County. The Firstenburg family has supported Innovative Services NW in several ways. They are frequent supporters of events and fundraising efforts, culminating in the $1 million donation for the construction of the Mary Firstenburg Family Center, in which Innovative Services NW is housed.