Building a culture of community engagement

Every successful business understands that employees are more than numbers on a spreadsheet. Community involvement is a significant part of every person’s life, and workers want to feel like they are connected to something bigger than just work, be it a group of people or a cause. Michelle Hamilton, Chief Marketing Officer with Park National Bank, told Good Day Clermont! that’s exactly where her priorities align in Clermont County.

Michelle Hamilton of Park National Bank and Bob Pautke of "Good Day Clermont!"

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“We’re really proud of the culture that we’ve built,” Hamilton said. “We have a whole host of bankers here that are deeply passionate about the communities that they live in and that they live in.”

The Park In Action program connects employees with community involvement opportunities, tracks their volunteer hours, and provides credits for rewards and recognition.

In 2025, Park National Bank drafted a Community Impact Report to highlight the contributions of its employees through community outreach. According to the online document, the organization raised over $5.2 million in donations with over 30.5k total employee volunteer hours.

These impressive numbers show how company incentives and a culture of community engagement can change lives in each Clermont County neighborhood.

Every September, Park National Bank hosts Park Cares Week. The Bank conducts surveys to identify where the community most needs help, and reaches out to nonprofits to see how they can donate time and material support.

Park National Bank with Habitat for Humanity. 
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ParkNationalBnkCincinnati

Many employees also serve on local nonprofit boards. Hamilton herself was one of the first supporting partners of Connect Clermont, helping to develop branding for Clermont County.

She reminisced about those early years with Bob Pautke, host of Good Day Clermont! “I remember when you dreamed up this podcast idea, so we’re coming full circle.”

Park National Bank doesn’t merely encourage community involvement through abstract value statements; it intentionally recruits staff based upon an individual’s history of engagement and homegrown principles of empathy. “We want to find those people that share that passion,” Hamilton said.  “For me, I value working at a place where integrity is prioritized.”

Stream the latest episode of "Good Day Clermont!"

The Bank provides dozens of options for employees, so they can find the right fit for their interests and purpose. Some of the community engagement opportunities offered by Park National Bank included:

• An ice cream social with Clermont Senior Services

• Envelop stuffing

• Mobile food pantry volunteerism with Inter-Parish Ministry

• Fire hydrant restoration

• Sorted donations of food and clothing

• Reading for kids at Child Focus

• Dog walking

• and more.

“We like to find a range of things that we can offer to the community that gives associates different choices that they can participate in,” Hamilton added.

Park National Bank also contributed to work toward Habitat for Humanity and provides seasonal opportunities, such as holiday drives for underserviced families.

Outside Park National Bank.

Looking a decade into the future, Hamilton hopes that Park National Bank will continue to expand its reach and challenge other local businesses to step up and pursue Good Work within their own neighborhoods. She believes that making more opportunities available and engaging with nonprofits will make Clermont County stronger in the coming years.

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