Phillips-Bostrom Embodies The Eaton Way
Phillips-Bostrom Embodies The Eaton Way
STOCKBRIDGE, Mich. – Too often people think a leader needs to be in command, issuing orders and leading the charge. But the principles of a great leader and the way they inspire others are just as powerful when delivered more subtly.
“Tonilynn Phillips-Bostrom is just great. As a person. As an employee. I just love her,” said Amy Szymczak, manager of Eaton Community Bank’s Stockbridge branch. “She’ll take on any task, and she’ll do it great.”
And that’s not just limited to Phillips-Bostrom’s role as a Universal Banker, which already means she does a little bit of everything for everyone. Szymczak added Phillips-Bostrom participates in all of the bank’s community engagements – plus plenty of others – and always gives 100 percent.
Yet, it was still a shock to Phillips-Bostrom when she was recognized as Eaton Community Bank’s 2026 The Eaton Way Award recipient. The award is given to the employee who embodies the bank’s core values – integrity, loyalty, excellence, teamwork, kindness and leadership – while not only making a difference for customers, but also our communities.
“I’m not one to be the center of attention or even have attention on me. I’m always the one in the background helping and rooting for everyone else,” Phillips-Bostrom said. “It’s the small pieces that make the big picture. I’m just blessed by what I do and who I do it for. It’s never for me. It’s just who I am as a human; I’m a helper.”
The Eaton Way Award recipients also get to make a $500 donation to a non-profit organization of their choice. For those who know Phillips-Bostrom, her choice of volunteer-run One Love Cat Rescue in Houghton Lake was no surprise.
“Anyone who knows me knows I’m a cat person. I just love cats and people always gift me cat stuff, and it just grew,” said Phillips-Bostrom, who proudly shares every detail about her four rescues – Smudge, Maizey, Lytle and Crowley – with friends, family and customers alike.
Phillips-Bostrom is the 16th Eaton Way Award recipient, with $8,000 being donated over the years in each recipient’s honor.
“Honestly, that’s the coolest part,” said 2025 Eaton Way Award recipient Caitlin Vedder. “It’s extremely humbling to be recognized by your coworkers, and a huge honor. But it was so exciting to choose a community organization I think has a positive impact on our community and then give them a $500 donation.”
Vedder became the first two-time recipient of the Eaton Way Award in 2025 choose Helping Hands Food Pantry, where Executive Director Amanda Thompson said the $500 donation translated into feeding 50 people for a week.
“That’s what it’s all about; helping” said Phillips-Bostrom. “It’s in my nature to just help. Animals, people or customers, that’s just who I am. Leading is not my strong suit. But I’m good at picking out when help is needed and I take initiative, a lot.”
Eaton Community Bank has served mid-Michigan since it was chartered by two local businessmen in 1937 to help local families buy a home and provide a safe place to invest their savings. Today, Eaton provides expanded services and solutions to meet the financial needs of the diverse communities it calls home.