Where banks and other financial institutions choose to send their money can set the course for where a society is headed. Severn Bank, the latest company to join the Corporate Leaders Program at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), has made giving back to the community and the environment indispensable to its mission.

At SERC, scientists have been doing research to restore the Chesapeake Bay for over 50 years. In addition to long-term datasets tracking the bay’s health and wildlife, some stretching back decades, the center has also launched active restoration projects on forests, streams and shorelines. The Corporate Leaders Program recognizes businesses like Severn Bank with similar goals that actively support SERC science.

“We’re pleased that Severn Bank has joined the Corporate Leaders team, so we can collaborate with Erik Chick and his team on urgent environmental issues,” said SERC Director Tuck Hines. “SERC provides world-class science to inform real-world decisions for wise policies, best business practices and a sustainable world. Working together with our corporate leaders who support our mission will ensure a resilient future.”

Based in Maryland’s Anne Arundel County, Severn Bank views investing in the local community as key to its definition of success. This includes stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay, just a few miles from their headquarters in Annapolis. The company designed its headquarters with a green roof to absorb rainwater and help keep pollution from stormwater runoff out of the bay. It also makes a point of giving to environmental organizations in the area like SERC, and encourages its employees to get involved with a paid-time employee volunteer program.

“Working at SERC and growing up on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, fishing and wading its waters, have given me a keen awareness of the importance of protecting this invaluable resource,” said Erik Chick, executive vice president of Severn Bank. “Better water quality leads to clearer bay water, which leads to more underwater grasses, which leads to more minnows and grass shrimp, which leads to more crabs, yellow perch and rockfish. It’s all interrelated. Severn Bank and I are proud to be a Corporate Partner to help the mission of scientific study, environmental literacy and sustainability.”

About the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) provides science-based knowledge to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century. Headquartered on the shores of Chesapeake Bay in Edgewater, Maryland, SERC scientists and students lead research on coastal ecosystems around the world. The data they collect help inform decisions for wise policies, best business practices and a sustainable planet. For more information, visit serc.si.edu.

About the Corporate Leaders Program
Corporate Leaders commit to donating at least $2,500 annually to SERC’s research and education programs. As members, staff of Severn Bank will be able to access cutting-edge research analysis from SERC scientists, network with other environmentally conscious business leaders, engage their employees in active research projects and participate in broader Smithsonian corporate events. SERC launched the Corporate Leaders Program in May 2019. To join or learn more, contact Cole Johnson at johnsonc@si.edu or 443-482-2323.

About Severn Bank
Founded in 1946, Severn Bank is a full-service community bank offering a wide array of personal and commercial banking products as well as residential and commercial mortgage lending. It has assets of approximately $885 million and six branches located in Annapolis, Edgewater, Crofton, Glen Burnie, Lothian/Wayson’s Corner and Severna Park. The bank specializes in exceptional customer service and holds itself and its employees to a high standard of community contribution. Severn Bank is on the web at severnbank.com.