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The Oregon Bankers Association (OBA), in partnership with Oregon Business Magazine, has announced Bend-based real estate developer Brooks Resources Corporation as the recipient of the 2025 Community Applause Award. The award, which recognizes an Oregon business for its significant service and contributions to its community, was presented to Brooks Resources during a banking industry event held on Dec. 11 in Portland. Founded in 1996, the Community Applause Award invites banks doing business in Oregon to nominate a business customer that gives back to its community in meaningful ways. An independent panel of judges reviews each nomination and selects the winner. Since the award’s inception, 48 Oregon businesses have been honored, including this year’s recipient. For more than five decades, Brooks Resources Corporation has helped shape the growth and character of Central Oregon through a deep, consistent commitment to community. Each year, the company donates at least 3% of its pre-tax profits and supports hundreds of nonprofit initiatives across social services, housing, arts and culture, education, and environmental stewardship. What distinguishes Brooks Resources is the intentional, hands-on approach behind its giving. Employees are encouraged to volunteer during work hours, the company matches charitable contributions, and its leadership is actively engaged in community events, board service, and civic initiatives. Even the company’s real estate developments reflect a community-first mindset, incorporating gathering spaces and local partnerships that strengthen connection and sense of place. The depth of Brooks Resources’ impact is evident in the organizations that championed its nomination. BendFilm credits the company as a founding partner whose two decades of support have expanded artistic access and elevated diverse voices. Family Access Network, MountainStar Family Relief Nursery, and KIDS Center highlight how Brooks Resources’ sustained generosity has improved the lives of vulnerable children and families by helping critical services grow and remain accessible. RootedHomes points to the company’s essential role in creating new pathways for permanently affordable housing in Bend, while the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance notes Brooks Resources’ unwavering support of local food systems and the farmers who sustain them. Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a company that is far more than a successful developer. Brooks Resources is a catalyst that helps create stability, connection, opportunity, and a stronger future for Central Oregon. Brooks Resources was nominated for the Community Applause Award by Lynn Spinoglio, commercial relationship manager at First Interstate Bank. In her nomination, Spinoglio stated, “Brooks Resources exemplifies what it means to care deeply about the place they call home. Their board, leadership, and employees consistently demonstrate thoughtfulness, generosity, and a genuine commitment to making Central Oregon a better place for all.” As part of the award, OBA provided Brooks Resources with two $500 checks payable to Family Access Network and RootedHomes in its honor. The OBA also produced a video highlighting Brooks Resources and illustrating the impact one company can have when community is truly at the center of its mission. From left to right: First Interstate Bank Market President Amy Theuma; Brooks Resources Corporation team members Christi Haynes, contributions administrator, Meghan Hall, controller, and Valerie Yost, director of marketing; and Lynn Spinoglio, commercial relationship manager at First Interstate Bank and the award nominator.
The Oregon Bankers Association (OBA), in partnership with Oregon Business Magazine, has announced Bend-based real estate developer Brooks Resources Corporation as the recipient of the 2025 Community Applause Award. The award, which recognizes an Oregon business for its significant service and contributions to its community, was presented to Brooks Resources during a banking industry event held on Dec. 11 in Portland.
Founded in 1996, the Community Applause Award invites banks doing business in Oregon to nominate a business customer that gives back to its community in meaningful ways. An independent panel of judges reviews each nomination and selects the winner. Since the award’s inception, 48 Oregon businesses have been honored, including this year’s recipient.
For more than five decades, Brooks Resources Corporation has helped shape the growth and character of Central Oregon through a deep, consistent commitment to community. Each year, the company donates at least 3% of its pre-tax profits and supports hundreds of nonprofit initiatives across social services, housing, arts and culture, education, and environmental stewardship.
What distinguishes Brooks Resources is the intentional, hands-on approach behind its giving. Employees are encouraged to volunteer during work hours, the company matches charitable contributions, and its leadership is actively engaged in community events, board service, and civic initiatives. Even the company’s real estate developments reflect a community-first mindset, incorporating gathering spaces and local partnerships that strengthen connection and sense of place.
The depth of Brooks Resources’ impact is evident in the organizations that championed its nomination. BendFilm credits the company as a founding partner whose two decades of support have expanded artistic access and elevated diverse voices. Family Access Network, MountainStar Family Relief Nursery, and KIDS Center highlight how Brooks Resources’ sustained generosity has improved the lives of vulnerable children and families by helping critical services grow and remain accessible.
RootedHomes points to the company’s essential role in creating new pathways for permanently affordable housing in Bend, while the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance notes Brooks Resources’ unwavering support of local food systems and the farmers who sustain them.
Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a company that is far more than a successful developer. Brooks Resources is a catalyst that helps create stability, connection, opportunity, and a stronger future for Central Oregon.
Brooks Resources was nominated for the Community Applause Award by Lynn Spinoglio, commercial relationship manager at First Interstate Bank. In her nomination, Spinoglio stated, “Brooks Resources exemplifies what it means to care deeply about the place they call home. Their board, leadership, and employees consistently demonstrate thoughtfulness, generosity, and a genuine commitment to making Central Oregon a better place for all.”
As part of the award, OBA provided Brooks Resources with two $500 checks payable to Family Access Network and RootedHomes in its honor. The OBA also produced a video highlighting Brooks Resources and illustrating the impact one company can have when community is truly at the center of its mission.
From left to right: First Interstate Bank Market President Amy Theuma; Brooks Resources Corporation team members Christi Haynes, contributions administrator, Meghan Hall, controller, and Valerie Yost, director of marketing; and Lynn Spinoglio, commercial relationship manager at First Interstate Bank and the award nominator.