Council Rock Education Foundation Announces Board Leadership

Newtown, Pa. (November 20, 2017) – Kevin Beauparlant, Vice President of Customers Bank in Newtown, has renewed his appointment as co-president of the board of directors of the Council Rock Education Foundation(CREF). In this role, he will serve alongside Jill Shurtleff, retired principal of Council Rock South High School, as co-president.

“Kevin is passionate about enriching public school education,” said Gail Acosta, Executive Director of CREF. “He brings leadership and energy to the CREF team and I know that CREF will continue to grow under his guidance."

Beauparlant, who is the father of three children in the school district, renewed his two-year term in October. “I see the difference the Council Rock Education Foundation makes in the lives of children,” he said. “I am honored to work with our board members and staff to bring more awareness to our community about the work of the Foundation so we can increase more experiential learning opportunities for our kids.”

The CREF is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit that promotes innovative programs and inspires ideas for the students in the Council Rock School District. The foundation focuses on innovation in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math) and on creative programs, such as twenty-first-Century Literacy, Arts and the Creative Economy, Environmental Engagement and Youth Leadership. Since its reorganization in 2007, the CREF has awarded over $215,000 in grants to teachers and classrooms in Council Rock schools, providing them with additional tools and resources beyond the reach of the school budget.

CREF is known throughout the local community for presenting the acclaimed Raising Great Kids community speaker series and through events like its annual "The Duel" event and the Outstanding Community Partner of the Year Award. Additional information about the Foundation can be found at www.creducationfoundation.org

In addition to Beauparlant's renewed board commitment, and Shurtleff's new leadership role, CREF appointed seven new board members at their annual meeting in October.

Richard J. Galup, MBA, MS, OTR/L, a senior executive within the Jefferson Health System and oversees the operations of the Jefferson Health three campus hospital system in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Bucks County including; Jefferson Bucks, a 112 bed campus with a Orthopedic specialty hospital surgical care suite onsite, Jefferson Frankford, a 115 bed campus the lower section of Northeast Philadelphia and Jefferson Torresdale, the flagship hospital of the system with 258 beds and a Level II Trauma center in the “Far” Northeast Philadelphia.

William B. Holmes, Jr., Associate Director, Global Economic Inclusion & Supplier Diversity at Merck, his responsibilities include proactively engaging with category leaders in the development and implementation of inclusive sourcing strategies to identify and utilize small and diverse-owned businesses in Merck’s supply chain. William also chairs the Council Rock Diversity & Inclusion Council, an independent parent/community member organization that is committed to fostering an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment in all Council Rock schools in which every student feels safe, valued, respected and can thrive, regardless of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, or religion.

Jamie Mak, a retired business executive with 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Her last role was as the Head of Strategy & Operations for US Medical Affairs at Bristol-Myers Squibb where she was responsible for project/portfolio management, governance and reporting across the portfolio for all therapeutic areas which included Oncology, Cardiovascular and Immunology as well as Health Economics Outcomes Research and Medical Information.

Mark Pearcy, Professor of Teacher Education at Rider University. Mark was a high school social studies teacher in Florida public high schools for 19 years, earning National Board Certification in 2004, and completed his Ph.D. in social science education in 2011 at the University of South Florida. In 2011, Mark accepted a position as a professor of teacher education at Rider University.

Mark Pliner, Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Mark spent over 10 years in Sales and Finance at Golden West Financial and Wachovia. Mark holds the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist SM designation from the College for Financial Planning and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist SM.

Susan Tew, Nurse Coordinator for the Philadelphia Nursing-Legal Partnership with the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and the Nurse Abstractor for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Maternal Mortality Review. A community health professional with a Master in Public Health focused on Maternal and Child Health and a strong interest in the prevention of fetal, infant, and maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as special education. Prior to becoming an RN in 2005, she directed the communications division of a national reproductive health research organization for 15 years.

Rosemary Wuenschel, for more than 30 years, has worked in government/community relations and communications with experience in nonprofit healthcare industry, state government and media. Over the past decade, she has served on several building-specific and district-wide committees in Council Rock School District.

More About Customers Bank

Customers Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania engaged in banking and related businesses through its bank subsidiary, Customers Bank. Customers Bank is a community-based, full-service bank with assets of approximately $ $10.5 billion that was named by Forbes magazine as the 35th Best Bank in America (there are over 5,700 banks in the United States). A member of the Federal Reserve System with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Customers Bank is an equal opportunity lender that provides a range of banking services to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, individuals and families through offices in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Committed to fostering customer loyalty, Customers Bank uses a High Tech/High Touch strategy that includes use of industry-leading technology to provide customers better access to their money, as well as Concierge Banking® by appointment at customers’ homes or offices 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers Bank offers a continually expanding portfolio of loans to small businesses, multi-family projects, mortgage companies and consumers.

Customers Bancorp, Inc. voting common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CUBI. Additional information about Customers Bancorp, Inc. can be found on the Company's website, www.customersbank.com.