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MarkleBank makes $26,000 gift to HU endowment

Huntington University President G. Blair Dowden (left) accepts a check from Greg Smitley, president ant CEO of MarkleBank. The gift will be used to fund scholarships at the university.
Huntington University President G. Blair Dowden (left) accepts a check from Greg Smitley, president ant CEO of MarkleBank. The gift will be used to fund scholarships at the university. Photo provided.

MarkleBank recently made a gift of $26,000 to Huntington University to be placed in the MarkleBank Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

The scholarship was established by the bank's board of directors in 2009 to honor three MarkleBank presidents, and the first scholarship was awarded in 2010.

The scholarship is available to Huntington University students who are majoring in business or communication-related areas of study, although a first-time freshmen who is undecided about a major may also apply. The student, a parent or grandparent must be a customer of MarkleBank, and the student must have and maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or higher.

Scholarship applications are available through Huntington University's Office of Financial Aid.

The scholarship honors Donald Hoopingarner and Travis Holdman, both past MarkleBank presidents, and the bank's current president, Greg Smitley.

Hoopingarner joined the bank in 1957 and served as its president from 1975 through 1988. He continues to serve on the MarkleBank board of directors.

Holdman served as MarkleBank president from 1998 to 2006, overseeing the opening of new branches in Huntington, Fort Wayne and Van Buren. Holdman has also served as president of the Huntington University Foundation Board and as a member of the Huntington University Board of Trustees. He currently serves as a state senator.

Smitley, who was elected MarkleBank president in 2006, is a 1980 graduate of Huntington College, as is his wife Patricia. He serves on Huntington University's Foundation Board and Alumni Board and is president of Huntington County United Economic Development (HCUED).