Jan. 6—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Elmer Laslo, president and CEO of 1st Summit Bancorp and supporter of many Johnstown-area civic organizations, has passed away at age 74 after a two-year battle with leukemia, the company said Thursday.

Laslo joined 1st Summit Bank, formerly Salix State Bank, in 1977 as chief executive officer.

Named president in 1984, Laslo led the bank for a total of 43 years.

During his tenure, 1st Summit grew from $17 million in assets and three offices to $1.1 billion and 12 banking offices with more than 200 employees.

He retired in 2020 from everyday operations at the bank and remained president and CEO of the holding company, 1st Summit Bancorp.

In total, Laslo committed over 45 years of service to the organization.

In addition to his duties to the bank, Laslo was active on many civic and nonprofit boards.

Laslo has served on the boards of the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, Enterprise Venture Capital Corporation of Pennsylvania, Greater Johnstown Regional Partnership, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown Area Regional Industries and the Community Arts Center of Cambria County. He was a former chairman of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association and a longtime member of the Young Presidents' Organization.

In his service to the Johnstown Area Heritage Association since the early 1990s, Laslo has raised countless dollars, JAHA President Richard Burkert said.

Laslo was especially passionate about ensuring the survival of JAHA's music festival, which has had some name changes over the years and is now the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival.

"He was decisive, had his own opinions on how to do things," Burkert said. "He wasn't afraid to be a leader, and he did it for the betterment of our organization for a very long time. He was an old- fashioned community leader ... I'm really saddened that he's gone. He's a good man."

Laslo's sincerity as well as his leadership of community organizations was well-respected by competitors in the banking industry.

When Jeff Stopko became president and CEO of Ameri- Serv Financial Inc. in 2015, Laslo was one of the first people to congratulate him, Stopko said.

"As a peer and competitor, he was a man of high integrity," Stopko said. "He was key to building the 1st Summit Bank into what it is today. I have a ton of respect for him, and not only did Elmer care about 1st Summit, but he also cared a lot about the community."

Appreciation for Laslo's contributions to the economic and civic well-being of the Johnstown community was shown last year with his induction into the Greater Johnstown- Cambria County Business Hall of Fame.

"He's fantastic businessman, an icon in the community, a genuine hero, one of the most selfless people I knew," said Sam Catanese, certified public accountant with the Catanese Group and lifelong friend of Laslo.

Cambria County Regional Chamber of Commerce President Amy Bradley said Laslo's kindness could be felt just by sitting at a meeting table with him.

"I think his love of family and family values eventually applied to his employees, and his work situation," she said.

"He cared about people and invested time and paid attention to them. He really was just a good person and interested in seeing other people do well."

Laslo is beloved by 1st Summit employees, said Eric Renner, Laslo's successor as the bank's CEO and president.

"On behalf of our board of directors, senior leadership team, employees and our expanded 1st Summit Bank family, we share our deepest sympathies to Elmer's family," Renner said. "We will all miss him more than words can express. Through his 45 years of service at the bank, Elmer was a great leader, community advocate, mentor and friend."