STRENGTH STABILITY MUTUALITY COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES Mutual benefits. Savings Bank of Walpole is joining New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp
Our customers benefit from our increased ability to invest in technology for convenience and safety plus access to best-in-class financial products and services and greater lending power for consumers and businesses. Our community benefits from the assurance that even in the face of larger competition and other future challenges their local bank remains Savings Bank of Walpole, committed to caring for the economic wellbeing of our region for decades to come. Our employees benefit from greater opportunities for professional growth and development due to the operating needs of a larger mutual banking organization. Same bank name, same people, same local values greater strength. O a
It s likely you have questions. We ll try our best to answer them here. So what is this all about? Savings Bank of Walpole will be joining New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp (NHMB), a multi-bank holding company whose purpose is to be a steward of mutual banking values in New Hampshire and most importantly, in the individual communities served by our local partner banks. It's important to note that this is a non-financial transaction and that no person or group of people benefits financially. Unlike stock banks, mutual banks have no shareholders; rather we are assets of the communities we serve. We are responsible to our employees, to our customers, and to our community. Who are the other partner companies in this alliance? Savings Bank of Walpole intends to become the third bank (and the fourth financial services company) in the New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp family. Other companies in the alliance include: Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) established in 1869, serving the Lakes Region and Seacoast Region of NH Merrimack County Savings Bank (the Merrimack) established in 1867, serving NH s South Central Region MillRiver Wealth Management established in 2015 through a merger of the wealth management arms of MVSB and the Merrimack
Why are you doing this? This alliance will advance the long-term interests of the many constituencies SBW currently serves including our employees, our customers, and our community. By partnering, we can: Achieve efficiencies of scale Be more competitive with technology and other industry innovations Provide best-in-class products and services to our customers Attract and retain the best talent Have the size and strength to face larger competition and other future challenges Indeed, we believe this alliance enhances each partner company s ability to better serve its customers and communities. It allows Savings Bank of Walpole to honor our proud history and maintain our status as a sound, stable, independently managed community bank in direct partnership with other mutual banks that share our values. Will Savings Bank of Walpole change its name? No. We ll still be the good old Savings Bank of Walpole, named Best Bank in the Monadnock Region for 12 years running. As is the case with the other NHMB partner companies, we will retain our own separate identity, with our own local management team and local Board of Directors and our continued commitment to our community and customers. What will happen to SBW Wealth Management? As a division of Savings Bank of Walpole, SBW Wealth Management provides financial advisory, investment management and trust services, chiefly to customers of our bank. Currently, there are no plans to change any operational aspects of SBW Wealth Management.
Will the SBW staff change? With respect to this alliance, there are no immediate changes anticipated. The reality is that like any organization, our staff evolves on a regular basis due to job responsibility changes, promotions and gradual attrition. Being part of a larger system of mutual banks will provide our valued employees with new opportunities for professional growth. In addition, we anticipate that SBW will be able to grow at a more rapid pace than we could on our own, giving staff additional local opportunities for career advancement. Over a period of time (18-36 months) after joining NHMB, we ll go through a thoughtful process to assess the best way to bring our back office functions (such as accounting, information technology and various operational support areas) together with holding company functions doing similar work for our partner banks. For efficiency and consistency, it will most likely make sense to have those functions performed by the holding company for all banks. We anticipate that eventually, some of our current employees will work for the holding company, with many from their current locations. THE BOTTOM LINE: We believe strongly in the talent and dedication of our Savings Bank of Walpole employees. Through new and expanded opportunities, normal attrition, and the use of technology that allows teams to work remotely, staffing losses will be minimal if at all. Will any Savings Bank of Walpole or partner bank branches close? No. In fact, this alliance will likely allow SBW to continue its branch expansion sooner than otherwise planned, in order to better serve our customers and communities.
How will this alliance affect customer accounts? There are no changes anticipated for any customer accounts as a result of this alliance. You ll have the same account structure, routing number, account numbers and debit card. Over time, the potential for a greater array of product offerings may become available for our customers. Oh wait there is one change we know about: You ll eventually be able to use our partner banks ATMs without incurring any surcharge fees! When will the alliance take place? This alliance requires the approval of several banking regulatory bodies, as well as SBW and NHMB Corporators. It is anticipated that all approvals will be received; depending on the speed of the regulatory approval process, the alliance will become effective sometime in the summer of 2018. Will there be changes in management? The Board of Directors of Savings Bank of Walpole will retain oversight responsibilities for our bank in the same way they have for the past 142 years. Our local management team will still be responsible for carrying out the strategic and operational plans of the bank. There are some management changes planned at the holding-company level, and at SBW: Sam Laverack, President & CEO of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp, will retire July 30, 2018. Sam s vision, values, and leadership will forever be valued. Effective July 1, 2018, Gregg Tewksbury (currently President & CEO of Savings Bank of Walpole) will succeed Sam as President & CEO of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp. Gregg will have offices within all partner banks, and will continue to reside in Keene, NH.
Also effective July 1, 2018, Mark Bodin (currently Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at SBW) will become President of Savings Bank of Walpole. Mark is a skilled banker and principled leader, and we feel confident that he will carry on the values that have served Savings Bank of Walpole for nearly a century-and-a-half. Where will the headquarters of each bank be located and why? As mutual organizations, each partner bank maintains a continued commitment to its local community and customers. Savings Bank of Walpole will remain headquartered in Walpole, NH. The other NHMB banks, Merrimack County Savings Bank and Meredith Village Savings Bank, will remain headquartered in Concord and Meredith, NH, respectively. Finally, who benefits from this alliance? All of our key constituents will benefit by aligning with a multi-bank holding company that shares our values, culture and philosophies. Over time, our customers will have increased access to best-in-class products and services, greater lending power, and an assurance that their local bank remains committed to their community. Our employees will have opportunities for professional growth due to the size of the combined companies. And our communities will gain assurance that their local bank remains sustainable to care for their economic wellbeing for decades to come. Same bank name, same people, same local values greater strength.
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