Peter Converse Named Business Leader of the Year by Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce honored Peter A. Converse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Commerce Bank, as the 2011 Business Leader of the Year. Mr. Converse was recognized at the Chamber’s Business Awards Dinner on October 6 at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Chamber’s selection of Mr. Converse as the recipient of its top business award was based on his dedication and exemplary leadership in the business community. Mr. Converse has set the tone for corporate philanthropy within the communities Virginia Commerce Bank serves. His civic influence is manifested bank-wide as he encourages VCB employees to dedicate their time and talents to non-profit organizations throughout Northern Virginia.

Recent Community Involvement

• On October 22, VCB invited the community to join in a free Shred-It event at 7 of its branches including Lee Highway, Annandale, Fairfax, Vienna, Chantilly, Reston and Signal Hill. Guests were given the opportunity to dispose of their confidential documents in a secure way while also learning about how to go green and minimize their paper trail.


• Team VCB went casual for a cause on October 21. To help put the ZIP on Homelessness, October 21 was officially proclaimed as Jeans Day by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and VCB was excited to partner in this event. In exchange for a $5 contribution, VCB employees were allowed to wear jeans to work on that day, and the Bank joined the fight to end homelessness by matching all employee donations.


• VCB sponsored a water station during the Wilson Bridge Half Marathon on October 2. Team VCB handed out cups of water and sports drink to thirsty runners at mile 4 of the race and offered cheers of encouragement to help them through the next 9.1 miles.


• Alexandria branch staff worked with SCAN to cook and serve dinner to parents and children in the program.


• On September 23, the Princeton Woods branch held a community health fair and blood drive for the public. The event featured health screenings and information from local professionals and businesses as well as a blood drive hosted by the Red Cross.


• Staff from VCB’s Alexandria branches joined the Carpenter’s Shelter on September 22 to cook dinners for the homeless.


• On September 17, staff from the Clarendon, Lee Highway, King Street, McLean and Vienna branches volunteered with A-SPAN to pack lunches for the homeless. Team VCB purchased food for the event and assisted in packing lunches for over 75 people.


• Team VCB joined the Rappahannock United Way on September 15 for a Day of Caring. Staff from VCB's Courthouse Road and Centre Ridge branches spent the day cleaning and organizing at Stafford Junction, a local nonprofit organization that serves high-need children, youth and their families. Team VCB was happy to lend a hand by cleaning up the rooms, sorting supplies, and organizing the kids' craft area and game room.


• Staff from VCB's McLean, Lee Highway, Williamsburg, Annandale, Vienna and Tyson's branches joined AFAC on September 10 to collect donations for the Center. Volunteering at 3 different locations, Team VCB helped collect over $230 in cash donations and 6,641 pounds of food.


• VCB's Reston branch held an open house on September 10 to celebrate VCB's diaper drive. Throughout August and September, 8 VCB branches including Reston, Dulles, Chantilly, Walney Road, Leesburg, Ashburn, Fairfax and Falls Church collected diaper donations to benefit local area diaper banks. The community came together to donate over 26,000 diapers!


• Staff from 6 VCB branches volunteered at the Northern Virginia Ronald McDonald House in Falls Church on August 24. Team VCB helped clean the facility and assisted with light gardening work.


• On August 6, VCB supported the AACH Safe at Home Kickball Tournament as a field sponsor. Clarendon Branch Manager Robert Esguerra is on the AACH Board of Directors and helped plan and organize the tournament.


• On July 27, VCB staff from 8 branches joined Operation Homefront DC Metro Chapter to lend a hand to local military families. 20 VCB employees helped fill 500 backpacks with school supplies for military families in the VA, MD, and DC area, assisted with making baby bundles for expecting mothers for over 11 local military installations, and labeled donated candles for an upcoming OH DC event. VCB staff also took time to write notes to local military families thanking them for their service to our country.


• Staff from VCB's Del Ray branch visited Cora Kelly School on July 21 to read books to 6 and 7 year old children at the school's summer recreation program.


• Each month, staff from VCB’s King Street branch work with the Alexandria Jaycees and the USO by stuffing care packages to send to military personnel overseas. In July alone, they worked alongside almost 100 volunteers to help put together over 5,000 packages.


• On June 25, staff from the King Street and Newington branches joined the Alexandria Jaycees and ALIVE to bag and distribute food to the needy as part of ALIVE’s monthly Last Saturday Food Distribution event.


• On June 7, staff from VCB’s Falls Church, Annandale, and McLean branches traveled to Lemon Road Elementary to assist with Field Day, an outdoor event celebrating the end of the school year.


• Throughout the month of June, staff from the Annandale branch teamed up with the Rose Hill McDonald’s to lend a hand to members of the local community. VCB employees packaged and distributed food to people in need.


• In April and June, staff from VCB’s McLean branch visited Timberlane Elementary School with the Rotary Club of McLean as part of the Lifelong Love of Reading Program. Volunteers read to first and second graders and handed out books for the students to take home.


• On May 23, staff from Cameron Station worked with House of Esther Ministries to host a personal finance skills seminar and teach the importance of financial savings.


• The Falls Church branch held a free community Shred-It day on Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Over 106 people came out to purge their paper and learn about Virginia Commerce Bank's eco-friendly services. Thank you for making our Shred-It event a huge success!


• Also on May 21, staff from the Central Park and Courthouse Road branches volunteered for the second year in a row at the King of Wings Festival by selling tickets, serving food and drinks, and helping at the kids' station. Proceeds from this family event benefit the Fredericksburg Area Builders Association.
  
  
• On May 14th, the Del Ray branch hosted its annual pet adoption in partnership with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.


• The Washington Business Journal recognized and honored Virginia Commerce Bank as a contributor of the Most Volunteer Hours and the Most Monetary Giving to our communities, at their Philanthropy Awards Reception, which was held on May 12 at The Ritz Carlton. The Bank collectively contributed over 7,600 volunteer hours and placed 14th among twenty-five organizations.


• For two weeks in May, VCB’s Leesburg branch joined forces with the Rotary Club of Ashburn's Interact Club to collect food for needy families in Loudoun County.


• On April 30, VCB staff members from Alexandria and Arlington participated for the eighth consecutive year in Rebuilding Together Alexandria (RTA), making several repairs to an elderly widow’s home, including installing new carpeting on the front steps, repairing and installing dead bolt locks to exterior doors, and fixing a leaking skylight. These much-needed improvements will help the resident live safely and comfortably in her home for years to come.


• On April 8, VCB staff from Alexandria and Newington visited Lorton Elementary on career day to teach kids about banking as a career.


• Every spring and fall, VCB branch staff from Central Park in Fredericksburg participate in the biannual Rappahannock River Cleanup. This event educates the community about the damages caused by pollution and the importance of river preservation. At this event, volunteers for Friends of the Rappahannock collected thousands of pounds of trash to help protect the river.


• Employees at the Mt. Vernon and Newington branches participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters by serving as mentors to children and helping them realize and reach their potential. VCB employees introduce their “Littles” to things they may not normally have the chance to experience, like trying new foods, going to the movies, or watching a sporting event.


• Staff at VCB’s McLean branch teaches weekly riding lessons through the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program. NVTRP enriches the lives of children and adults with disabilities through the challenging physically active sport of horseback riding.


• VCB staff from the Annandale branch visit the Fairfax County Public Library twice each week to read books to kids.


• During the school year, the Fairfax branch sponsors a continuing in-branch art display to showcase the artistic creations of students at Lanier Middle School.

Highlights from Past Community Involvement

Throughout January and February, the Williamsburg Boulevard branch in Arlington collected food for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Staff from the Clarendon branch also helped AFAC with delivering food donations.

On January 15, staff from VCB’s Vienna branch joined the Korean United Methodist Church of Greater Washington in dishing out hot food to the homeless in Washington D.C.

This past holiday season, VCB's Loudoun County team held a holiday food drive to benefit the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter and the Loudoun Interfaith Relief food pantry. VCB's Battlefield branch hosted a holiday food drive to benefit SERVE, a program of Northern Virginia Family Service.

Several VCB staff from the Battlefield, Fairfax and Signal Hill branches have been participants in "Lock-up" fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. VCB staff solicited donations to help them "make bail" so they could be released. One recent VCB jailbird raised over $450 for the MDA.

Staff from VCB's Battlefield branch in Manassas participated in the Book It! program's National Young Readers Week, which helps promote lifelong reading habits.

VCB staff from Alexandria and Newington branches participated in Alexandria's annual Walk to Fight Breast Cancer.

VCB's Princeton Woods Branch Manager Linda Latorre helped coordinate the 2010 Step Out: Walk to fight Diabetes in Woodbridge to help raise funds for this signature event of the American Diabetes Association.

In 2010, VCB volunteers from all across the Bank's Central Region worked with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment to collect seedlings from the Potomac Overlook Regional Park. These seedlings will be planted alongside rivers and streams to prevent against erosion.

Staff from VCB's Centre Ridge Branch in Centreville worked with Liberty's Promise, a program that supports young immigrants in need, by helping to teach banking and finance skills.

Walney Road branch staff volunteered at the ReStore in Chantilly, which helps raise funds to support the work of Habitat for Humanity.

VCB's Falls Church team participated in the 2010 Run for the Schools 5k to benefit the Falls Church Education Foundation.

Staff from VCB's Arlington branches teamed up with the Arlington Business Civic Circle to make sandwiches for A-SPAN through its Homeless Bagged Meal Program.

Team VCB worked with Loudoun Youth, a non-profit organization that coordinates community resources to develop youth programs and leadership opportunities. Staff from Loudoun County branches volunteered at the organization’s Youth Fest, an all-day music and games festival, which provided a forum for young adults to learn more about civic opportunities in the community. On another occasion, VCB volunteers managed registration tables, ran concession stands and served as chaperones for the final installment of Loudoun Youth’s “Battle of the Bands” contest.

Staff from VCB's Vienna branch, ran in the 2010 Alexandria Run for the Red 5K to benefit the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region. VCB also helped sponsor for the event.

The Del Ray branch participated in The City of Alexandria's annual Walkathon at Fort Ward Park that benefits Project Discovery. Funds raised supported scholarships for Alexandria Students.

For several years, the Prince William branches supported the Prince William Special Olympics Track & Field Regional event in Woodbridge. VCB volunteers from our four Prince William branches managed the awards table, preparing and presenting ribbons to event winners. The VCB staff says it is awe-inspiring to witness the enthusiasm, determination and pride displayed by the athletes who participate in races and relays that encourage achievement beyond their individual challenges.

Lake Ridge Branch Manager Bill James gave classes to share fundamental financial knowledge with the residents of St. Margaret of Cortona, a transitional housing program that help homeless families with the support needed to reestablish independence after they have exited an emergency shelter.

VCB staff conducted a Banking 101 seminar at Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter. They spoke to a group of about a dozen women, many of whom had little to no prior personal finance experience, covering fundamental topics regarding consumer's rights and responsibilities, most common reasons consumer incur bank fees and charges, tips for safely using online and automated resources and tips for safeguarding personal identification.





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