Donna Zobrist named Highland Chamber of Commerce Homer Poss Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Donna Zobrist is someone you can bank on, no matter the job.

Zobrist started her banking career at Farmers and Merchants Bank. After 25 years there, she moved up to American Bank, which is now First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, where she retired last year.

In her banking career, Zobrist has done everything — tellering, filing checks, customer service representative, loan officer, Club 50 representative, supply orderer. The list goes on and on.

“…Clean up messes, take home laundry, run to Sam’s, take care of the landscaping and potholes in our driveway, taking care of donations, getting us food, or even you know when the toilet overflowing, Donna will handle it. To say the least, when Donna retired we had some big shoes to fill,” said Tricia Buehne, who presented Zobrist with her Homer Poss Lifetime Achievement Award at the chamber’s annual meeting on June 23.

During her time in business, Zobrist was also been one of the most, if not the most, active members of the Highland Chamber Board of Directors. Before she retired, Zobrist served in all the major chamber offices, including president. She also was co-chair of the first Chamber Valentine Dinner/Dance/Auction, then continued to help chair for the next five years.

Zobrist worked with past executive director Sheila Schrumpf to start the annual Lighted Christmas Parade, “which has turned out to be a great event in Highland and attracting people from all over the area to attend,” Buehne said.

She chaired the chamber’s beautification committee, which eventually installed the welcome signs that are now posted at the city limits.

She was a mainstay on the tourism committee, which was instrumental in producing brochures, souvenirs and eventually Christmas certificates, and a host of other chamber projects, including Clean Up Days, the Annual Meeting Committee, the Street Art Festival, Business After Hours, the Chamber’s Haunted House, quarterly meetings and the finance and audit committees.

In addition to the chamber Zobrist was also involved in many other community organizations. They include being a:

▪ founding member and board member of the Highland Kiwanis;

▪ board member of the Madison County Fair Association;

▪ treasurer of the American Cancer Society;

▪ special projects committee member for Highland Community Schools;

▪ committee member for Relay for Life;

▪ committee member of the St. Paul Kirchenfest;

▪ member of St. Paul Catholic Church

▪ volunteer for the Louis Latzer Swiss Christmas Festival;

▪ member of the Good Producers 4-H Club;

▪ board member and held all offices of the Highland-Pierron Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

“Donna Zobrist has been a great asset to the Highland community,” said Buehne. “From helping set up for events, working the events, counting money, taking a week of vacation every year to work at the Fair she is truly dedicated to Highland.”

Zobrist has been married to her high school sweetheart, Carl, since 1967. They have a daughter, a son, and four grandchildren.

“She loves babysitting her grandkids and working in the garden. She always loves her fresh vegetables and taking care of all of her plants,” Buehne said.

Zobrist said it feels “wonderful” to be acknowledged like this.

“I was very surprised,” she said.

Zobrist said she enjoys helping the community any way she can.

“I just like to stay busy,” she said.

Zobrist said Larry and Betty Essenspreis have been a big influence in her life. She remembered following Larry Essenpreis’ footsteps, when the two worked together at Farmers and Merchants Bank.

“He helped me out get out of my shell,” she said.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 5:55 AM with the headline "Donna Zobrist named Highland Chamber of Commerce Homer Poss Lifetime Achievement Award winner."