Tracy Grimmer and Pam Pratt Marsh were honored as Rotarians of the Year at Rotary Club of Princeton’s annual auction held November 15th. This award is presented to a Rotarian who exhibits service above self in their daily activities and who promotes Rotary by their action and involvement.
Tracy Grimmer has been a Rotarian since 2011 and exemplifies the Rotary motto of “service above self” in all that she does. She began a 24 year career in banking at the original First State Bank in 1992 as a teller/customer service representative when she was still in high school. It then became AMCORE where she was a branch manager from 2004 – 2006. After it changed to Midland States Bank, she was a Commercial Relationship Manager from 2006 – 2021. She moved to First State Bank in 2021 as the VP of Commercial Lending and is now the Community President since 2023. Tracy was named a 2014 recipient of “40 Under Forty” by the Illinois Small Business Development Center. She previously served on the Gateway to the Future Foundation from 2008 – 2015 and was president of that board from 2009 – 2014. Tracy has served on the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce board since 2020, holding positions as President, Secretary, and Director. She has served on the Greenfield Board of Trustees since 2022. Tracy is a Paul Harris Fellow and past Princeton Rotary Club President, leading us during the 2021 - 2022 Rotary year. She has been actively involved in Rotary activities and committees since her induction. She was instrumental in developing the “Love Our Community” grant that puts $10,000 into the hands of deserving not-for-profits in our community, and she has also taken the lead in outlining and tracking District grant projects for our Club – another way to highlight non-profits in our area. After serving as our Rotary Club President, Tracy went on to serve a three- year term as Assistant Governor for our area. In that role, she provided support to four other clubs. She then arranged for joint meetings that promoted camaraderie and shared speakers among all of us. She also planned an unforgettable bus trip to the Paul Harris home and Rotary International headquarters in Evanston. Tracy resides in Princeton with her husband, Scott, and they have two grown daughters, Jenna and Kenley.
Pam Pratt Marsh excelled in multiple professional roles throughout her life. She previously worked as a sales representative for the Bureau County Republican. Later, she was the sales and sponsorships associate at the Bureau County History Center where her enthusiastic involvement helped the efforts to collect, preserve, and share the fascinating history of Bureau County. Additionally, she enjoyed hands-on work at Seatonville Greenhouse, combining her love of plants with community engagement. As a Rotarian, Pam was committed to community service and helped out as much as possible with various projects and fundraisers from her first day of induction in 2018. She served as a greeter and sergeant-at-arms and helped to organize special lunches and fundraising activities. If there was work to be done, she was always there with a helping hand. Outside of Rotary, Pam was a Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador where she actively participated in events and promoting area businesses. Pam was known for her warmth, humor, and nurturing spirit. She loved gardening, cheering on her grandchildren’s sporting events, and fostering senior pets who needed care and adoption. She was most proud of her three children and two grandsons, whom she adored. She embraced every opportunity to connect with family, friends, and her community. Pam's family was in attendance to accept this award in her memory.