Community Spirit Award

Celebrating community involvement

The Community Spirit Award honors exceptional individuals from our member financial institutions who have made a notable impact in their communities through a history of work to expand affordable housing; dedication to unique and innovative economic development solutions; and emerging leaders with a demonstrated commitment to affordable housing and community economic development. Whether through a history of forging strategic partnerships or implementing unique strategies to create local affordable housing and economic development opportunities, or as an emerging leader in the field, Community Spirit Award recipients are those who go above and beyond to promote strong, sustainable and healthy communities across our district.

FHLBank Indianapolis recognizes these efforts each year by bestowing the Community Spirit Award to a noteworthy individual in both Indiana and Michigan, alongside a $5,000 donation in the recipients' honor to the charity or nonprofit organization of their choice.

Nominating criteria

The Community Spirit Award is dedicated to individuals who exemplify excellence in any of the following areas. Eligible nominees must work at one of our member financial institutions. A recipient will be selected from both Indiana and Michigan.

Affordable Housing: profound impact on increasing or strengthening affordable housing opportunities or partnerships in their community, to include single- or multi-family projects, unique housing strategies or partnerships and involvement in FHLBank Indianapolis Affordable Housing Program or Homeownership Initiatives.
Economic Development: exceptional effort to promote economic development in their community by supporting unique partnerships or projects for small businesses, business growth or involvement with Community Impact Advance or Elevate programs.
Emerging Leader: an emerging leader with a demonstrated commitment to building strong communities through housing and economic development. These individuals are known for taking initiative, delivering remarkable results and going above and beyond.

Previous recipients

Check out our 2024 winners below and see our other previous recipients here.

See past recipients

2024 Community Spirit Award Winners

James Parker

Vice President | Central Savings Bank | Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Michigan's Affordable Housing Champion

James Parker is a lifelong resident of the Eastern Upper Peninsula and a graduate of Lake Superior State University. He started at Central Savings Bank in 2011 as the marketing director; he switched to lending in 2013 and became a commercial lender in 2016. Parker was nominated for his legacy of impressive work in affordable housing and economic development. As Central Savings Bank’s Community Reinvestment Act Officer, Parker is tasked with ensuring community reinvestment, often by forging partnerships with community stakeholders. One such partnership with Community Housing Network, Inc., The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the Chippewa County Community Foundation culminated in the recently opened Garfield Landing, an adaptive reuse project that transformed the historic former Garfield School into 36 affordable housing units.

As vice president of the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce, Parker is also a strong champion for local economic development and has partnered with local businesses for FHLBank Indianapolis’ Elevate Small Business program, securing $60,000 in grant funding for local businesses in the Sault Ste. Marie community.

The $5,000 donation in Parker's name will benefit the Chippewa County Council for Youth and Families.

Autumn Bucy

Marketing Manager | Hendricks County Bank and Trust Company | Brownsburg, Ind.

Indiana's Emerging Leader

Indiana winner Autumn Bucy has a passion for bettering her Brownsburg, Ind., community. Bucy is actively involved in the Brownsburg Youth Sports (BYS) Future Fields project, which is working to build a new 60-acre youth sports facility. Throughout this project, Bucy has been instrumental in forging partnerships with community stakeholders to support programs that facilitate the inclusion of children with special needs.

Bucy is also active in organizations fighting homelessness, including Clothe-A-Child and Sheltering Wings Domestic Violence Services. Additionally, Bucy serves on the Golf Outing Committee at the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce and the Hospitality Committee at the Greater Danville Chamber of Commerce.

The $5,000 donation in Bucy's name will benefit Brownsburg Youth Sports.