When Dom and Pam Monastiere were Grosse Pointe High School students in the Class of 1965, college seemed out of reach. Tuition, books, room and board and other expenses were more than their families could afford.
When Dom and Pam Monastiere were Grosse Pointe High School students in the Class of 1965, college seemed out of reach. Tuition, books, room and board and other expenses were more than their families could afford.
As a result, Pam decided not to attend college and went to work at the National Bank of Detroit. Class President Dom (her then boyfriend and future husband) shared his situation with his high school counselor who told him that scholarships from local benefactors and government student loans were available which he readily pursued to make his dream possible.
As they married and raised two children, Brad and Amy, they felt great gratitude toward those who helped them even though they did not personally know them. When they arrived in Bay City over 30+ years ago, that gratitude inspired them to repay their benefactors by volunteering their time and treasure for numerous community organizations including the Bay Area Community Foundation, the Mitten Bay Girl Scout Council, Hidden Harvest, the YWCA, the YMCA, Saginaw Valley State University, United Way, the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Bay Future, McLaren Bay Region Medical Foundation and Hospital, The Michigan Baseball Foundation, the Kantzler Foundation, the Smith Foundation, and many, many more.
Dom’s position as President & CEO of Chemical Bank Bay Area also made him a favorite choice of all fundraising committees in the community because “He knew who had money to give and he wasn’t afraid to ask for it.” He is very proud of his role in raising large sums of money for many organizations in the community particularly the $6 million he personally raised for the new YMCA building.
Both Pam and Dom have received a number of different awards from various community organizations that recognized their commitment to Bay City and this region. One of Pam’s proudest moments was when she received the Women of Distinction Award from the Mitten Bay Girl Scout Council in 1995. In Dom’s case, it was being inducted to the Bay Area Chamber Hall of Fame.
What’s deeply personal to both of them, though, are the scholarship programs they have funded for students who are the first members of their family to attend college. The Pamela G. Monastiere Scholarship Fund through the BACF is for a first generation female college student and The Dominic Monastiere Scholarship Fund at SVSU is for a first generation male college student attending the Scott Carmona College of Business at SVSU.
The couple doesn’t tell their story of philanthropy to get accolades. Instead, they hope to show others by their example, the opportunities that exist to better your community. They also want to acknowledge how much giving back to the community has helped them meet so many wonderful people in the community.
“I don’t think people fully understand the breadth of philanthropy,” Pam says. “Volunteering your time and talents are all part of philanthropy in addition to whatever financial commitment you are able to make.” Dom added that it is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together for the common good of all concerned.
Dom adds that he’s witnessed what can happen when people work together for the greater good.
“When people hear ‘philanthropy,’ they think money,” Dom says. “To me, philanthropy also includes community volunteerism. Giving your time is critical. Not everybody is in a position to give treasure, but most everybody is in a position to give their time.”
On Spetmeber 26, 2022, the Monastieres were awarded the 2022 Peggy Rowley Community Enrichment Award at the 2022 Faces of Philanthropy celebration. Watch a video of their story on our YouTube page by clicking the link here – Dom and Pam’s Story.
