Chemical Bank’s Community President of the Michiana Community Bank Todd A. Obren recently delivered a $20,000 check to Southwestern Michigan College, where he has served on the board of trustees since the beginning of 2015.

The donation toward the college’s $9.6-million expansion of its Nursing and Health Education Building symbolizes naming rights on two hospital beds.

“As a community bank, we’re focused on directly impacting the communities where we live, work and play,” Obren said. “Investing in the education resources of our community is a valuable way to devote our funds and know there will be an improvement to the community through these dollars. We look forward to watching this community grow and are proud to be a part of that growth.”

“Chemical Bank demonstrates its commitment to our local community by providing a generous gift to the Nursing and Health Education Building expansion. It shows their true commitment to helping our community thrive and grow,” said SMC Foundation Executive Director Eileen Toney, who accepted the check along with Dean of Nursing and Health Education Rebecca Jellison.

Chemical Bank’s gift coincides with its centennial anniversary this year.

Chemical Financial Corp. is the largest banking company headquartered and operating branch offices in Michigan.

The corporation, through its subsidiary bank, Chemical Bank, operates 220 branches in Michigan, 27 in northeast Ohio and two in Indiana (nearby Elkhart and Goshen).

Michigan’s include Dowagiac at 114 Commercial St.; Sister Lakes at 67900 M-152; Niles at 407 E. Main St. and the “south office” at 1835 S. 11th St.; and in Edwardsburg, Buchanan, Three Oaks, Baroda, Eau Claire, Berrien Springs, Baroda, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Hartford, South Haven, Coloma, Watervliet and Stevensville.

At June 30, 2017, the corporation’s assets totaled $18.78 billion. Chemical Financial Corp.’s common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol CHFC and is one of the issuers comprising The NASDAQ Global Select Market and the S&P MidCap 400 Index.

More information is available by visiting the investor relations section of its web site at chemicalbank.com.

SMC Foundation insures all eligible students have financial access to college education.

This nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, established in 1970, bridges the financial gap between students’ needs and resources with scholarships.

This year the foundation embarked on a $2.6 million major gift initiative to provide funding for the Nursing and Health Education expansion on the Dowagiac campus.

To learn more about the foundation’s major gift initiative and support changing lives, visit swmich.edu/giving. People may contact Toney at: SMC Foundation, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac, MI 49047; (269) 782-1301; or etoney@swmich.edu, to arrange a donation.