News

Janice DeYoung Elected Chairperson of the Board of Firstbank-West Michigan

Ionia, Michigan — William L. Benear, President and  Chief Executive Officer of Firstbank-West Michigan, announced the election of Janice DeYoung as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Firstbank-West Michigan on May 16, 2011. She succeeds former Chairman, Jerome Gregory, who completed his term as Chairman and will continue to serve as a Board Member. Janice has served on the Firstbank-West Michigan Board of Directors since September of 1997.  

DeYoung had a long career in the agricultural equipment industry with Michigan Chief Sales, Inc. of Lake Odessa, where she served as President and owner for 15 years. Janice’s community involvements have included serving on the boards of the Barry County Area Chamber of Commerce, the Lakewood Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Hastings Rotary Club. She has also served as the Chairperson of Barry County Family Independence Agency and the State Board of the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB). 

Janice is a 30 year resident of Barry County and currently lives in Yankee Springs Township with her husband Jim. They share five children and three grandchildren.   

Firstbank-West Michigan is a diversified financial services company providing a wide range of banking services. Firstbank-West Michigan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Firstbank Corporation operating offices in Ionia, Belding, Hastings, Lowell, Sunfield, and Woodland, Michigan.   Firstbank Corporation, headquartered in Alma, Michigan, is a financial services company using a multi-bank-charter format with assets of $1.5 billion and 51 banking offices serving Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.