Jody Shonk
Jody Shonk - Executive Administrative Specialist
Jody Shonk, Executive Administrative Specialist with First Merchants Bank, loves helping others – and it’s something she gets to do every day.
“It’s something that gives me a lot of joy,” she shared.
Jody joined First Merchants in 2013 in a part-time role as an administrative assistant at the bank’s Columbus, Ohio regional headquarters. And, though she still provides administrative support, Jody also works in partnership with First Merchants’ Ohio Market President Jennifer Griffith to establish and maintain community partnerships, arrange volunteer opportunities, and planning events for customers.
“I love that every single day is different,” she said. “I do so many things in my role that no day is the same.”
For a local bank like First Merchants, being involved in the community – volunteering, providing services, building strong partnerships with local organizations – is vital, as these things allow us to better assist our customers.
“I actually think facilitating those community partnerships is one of the most important things we do,” Jody shared.
It’s work she loves to do – whether she’s helping connect others to organizations or volunteer opportunities, or whether she’s participating herself. In fact, each year Jody—alongside Jennifer Griffith—volunteer to teach financial skills during Girls Week at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio’s Camp Oty’okwa. Jody describes the experience as her “favorite week of the year.”
She also enjoys helping team members identify ways to volunteer and give back, and in coordinating team volunteer days.
“We do a lot of work to make sure that if we have employees that want to volunteer, they get to,” she explained. “Giving back in that way is really important and it’s really uplifting for folks to be able to help others and support their passions through their workplace.”
Jody serves on the Junior Achievement Volunteer Committee, and on the Salvation Army Hilltop Council.
In her free time, Jody enjoys reading and watching the latest movies with her two daughters.
