Local banker contributes to UWSP Foundation

A local banker who "put more into the community than he took out" has contributed $30,000 through a business foundation and $40,000 through a family foundation to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

John Seramur, longtime CEO of First Financial Bank who now serves as vice chairman and director of Associated Banc-Corp., has pledged $30,000 to the Melvin R. Laird Endowment through the First Financial Foundation, and additional gifts of $30,000 to the Laird Endowment and $10,000 to the Seramur Scholarship Fund through the Seramur Family Foundation.

"The UWSP Foundation is extremely grateful for this gift," said Executive Director Bruce Froehlke. "John Seramur has told me that the late Ken Willett always said, ‘put more into the community than you take out’ and this is an outstanding example of giving back to the community."

For 30 years, Seramur engineered the growth of First Financial Savings and Loan into First Financial Bank, a $6 billion institution with 130 offices and 1,740 employees. A generous contributor to UWSP, he has provided internships for business students and served as president of the UWSP Foundation’s board of directors. Since 1978 he has supported a scholarship endowment at UWSP which benefits both high achieving freshmen and upper class students in the Division of Business and Economics.

A distinguished alumnus of Marquette University’s College of Business Administration, Seramur received the Quality of Life Leadership Award earlier this year from St. Michael’s Hospital in honor of his contributions to the community.

The Laird Endowment, which funds Laird Youth Leadership Day, Laird Scholarships and the Laird Arts Education Awards, is on its way to becoming UWSP’s first $1 million endowment. The endowment was established by Melvin R. Laird, former seventh district congressman and U.S. Secretary of Defense.

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