Stories

Cedar Rapids employee recently honored for her 15-year dedication to assist low- to moderate-income households file their taxes for free.

For Shelley Frondle, a U.S. Bank banker at the Council Street branch in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the desire to give back to her community came in the wake of historic flooding.

Shelley Frondle, U.S. Bank employee from the Cedar Rapids (right), with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) as she is presented the Governor’s Volunteer Award.

“Back in 2008, a large part of Cedar Rapids went underwater,” said Frondle, referring to when the Cedar River spilled over its banks and spread flood waters into nearly 15% of the city including her own house. “We had seven feet of water in our home and people from all over the city were helping my family get back to normal.”

It was not long after when another bank employee was sharing different ways bankers could give back to the community. It was in that moment that Frondle learned about Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, which is part of the United Way of East Central Iowa.

“After everything we went through with the floods, I decided I was going to do my part and give back to the community that helped me in my time of need,” said Frondle, who has worked at U.S. Bank for more than 40 years.

That began Frondle’s 15-year dedication to assist low- to moderate-income households file their taxes for free as a volunteer tax preparer. Most recently she helped tax filers receive, on average, $2,400 back on their federal return in 2022. In June, Frondle’s commitment to her community was recognized when she was named the recipient of the Governor’s Volunteer Award. This award is given to Iowans who go above and beyond when volunteering their time and talent to help organizations and agencies deliver on its mission.

“It’s cool to be recognized for this,” said Frondle, who attended the award ceremony in Vinton, Iowa, along with volunteers in a variety of fields from healthcare to education. “We are all working to better our community, and it was an honor to be among them.”

Frondle, who starts preparing for the next tax season in the fall, shares that U.S. Bank has fully supported her during her annual trainings and volunteering with tax clients by being flexible. She points to her manager, Angela Richards, for working with her volunteer schedule and the bank with providing volunteer hours.

“I volunteer two to three nights a week,” said Frondle. “It’s fun, I enjoy it, and I can help families save hundreds of dollars on tax preparation. That’s money that can be used to support their family, to pay down debt, and to better their lives.”

Richards shares that it’s obvious Frondle finds joy in helping others.

“It shows itself in many different avenues, from helping her peers with her knowledge to helping customers in all walks of life meet their financial needs,” said Richards. “Shelley has many customers that find comfort in talking to Shelley about their financial needs, goals, and struggles. She treats everyone with respect and compassion. Seeing the way that Shelley engages with her peers and customers, it was not surprising to me when she first approached me about her work with VITA.”

For Richards, it’s important as a manager for her to be flexible with her staff and encourage them to be active in the community.

“As the face of U.S. Bank, we want the opportunity to connect with people and customers outside of the four walls of the branch,” Richards said. “When they see us caring and helping those in our community, it helps to build trust and really fosters that small community feeling.”