First Bank Offers Hearty, Grand Small Business Handshake

Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids in Creve Coeur, Missouri is the grand prize winner of the First Bank Small Business Handshake, a promotion that recognizes small business owners and entrepreneurs for their commitment to their business, employees and communities.

As the grand prize winner, Kelly Mertens (Owner/Gym Director) received a celebratory handshake from First Bank’s Cynthia Donaldson, lunch, $5,000 in advertising on the radio station of her choice (101 ESPN or WARH 106.5 The Arch) and another $5,000 in advertising for the charity of her choice – the Alzheimer’s Association of St. Louis. In addition, a video will be produced about Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids.

Michael Sturgeon, a patron of the gym who nominated Miss Kelly’s Gym for the Small Business Handshake, also received a $250 gift card from First Bank as part of the grand prize.

Locally and family owned, Miss Kelly's Gym is a gymnastics and fitness center for children that provides a variety of gymnastics, dance and sports-related classes.

In partnership with 101.1 ESPN and WARH (106.5 The Arch), listeners were encouraged to nominate business owners or companies to receive a First Bank Small Business Handshake.

First Bank firstbanks.com is one of the largest privately owned banks in the country with $5.93 billion in assets and 111 locations in Missouri, Illinois, and California.

Photo Caption

560 – Randy Karraker of 101 ESPN, right, surprised Kelly Mertens of Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids. Justin Jones, center, Senior Director of Development for the Alzheimer’s Association of St. Louis, was there to help pull off the surprise.

564 – First Bank’s Cynthia Donaldson, left, presents Kelly Mertens with the grand prize “check” with Barb Meeske of 101 ESPN.

584 – From left: Cynthia Donaldson (First Bank), Randy Karraker (101 ESPN), Justin Jones (Alzheimer’s Association of St. Louis), Kelly Mertens (Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids), Matt Mertens (Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids), Michael Sturgeon and Amanda Sturgeon.

1710 – Randy Karraker of 101 ESPN, left, with Michael Sturgeon, who nominated Miss Kelly’s Gym for Kids for the First Bank Small Business Handshake. Sturgeon received a $250 gift card from First Bank as part of the grand prize.