Bank of New Hampshire Supports Junior Achievement of NNE

New Hampshire – August 27, 2012 – Bank of New Hampshire is proud to support Junior Achievement of Northern New England with a $2,500 contribution to support several New Hampshire educational programs. “Organizations such as Junior Achievement are vital to our youth and our economy” stated Louis Guevin, Jr., EVP – Commercial Services for Bank of New Hampshire. “We are happy to be able to support and promote financial education in our children’s curricula at no cost to the schools.”

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating K-12 students about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Junior Achievement programs help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Through their participation in Junior Achievement, students can put these lessons learned into action and help strengthen their communities.

“Junior Achievement of Northern New England is truly grateful to Bank of New Hampshire for their incredible commitment to our organization,” said Emily Neill, President of Junior Achievement of Northern New England.  “This generous donation will allow us to continue to impact over 7,000 students in the New Hampshire region this fiscal year.”

For more information about Junior Achievement, visit www.janewengland.org.

Bank of New Hampshire, founded in 1831, provides deposit, lending and wealth management products and services to families and businesses throughout New Hampshire. With 21 banking offices throughout New Hampshire and assets exceeding $1 billion, Bank of New Hampshire is the oldest and largest independent bank in the state. Bank of New Hampshire is a mutual organization, focused on the success of the bank’s customers, communities and employees, rather than stockholders.  For more information, call 1-800-832-0912 or visitwww.BankNH.com.

Bank of New Hampshire Supports the NH Veterans Home

Tilton, New Hampshire – August 21, 2012 – Bank of New Hampshire is proud to support the New Hampshire Veterans Home and help continue their mission to provide high quality, professional, long-term care services to the Granite States veterans.

For more than a century, the New Hampshire Veterans Home has provided compassion, respect and dignity while creating a unique environment for those who have made personal sacrifices in the military and now need assistance to care for themselves. Established in 1890 as the Soldier's Home for Civil War Veterans, they provide care and comfort for thousands who have served our country and fellow-citizens.

“After touring the NH Veterans Home and seeing what they do for their residents we were happy to see how we could help,” stated Shawna DeFrancesco, Concord Heights Office Manager for Bank of New Hampshire. “They provide our veteran residents with stimulating activities to improve their quality of life. Playing games fosters group activity and social interaction, while developing one to one relationships and friendships.”

For more information on the NH Veterans Home, visit www.nh.gov/veterans or call (603)527-4400.

Bank of New Hampshire, founded in 1831, provides deposit, lending and wealth management products and services to families and businesses throughout New Hampshire. With 21 banking offices throughout New Hampshire and assets exceeding $1 billion, Bank of New Hampshire is the oldest and largest independent bank in the state. Bank of New Hampshire is a mutual organization, focused on the success of the bank’s customers, communities and employees, rather than stockholders.  For more information, call 1-800-832-0912 or visit www.BankNH.com.

Bank of New Hampshire Supports the Granite Homeownership Center

Manchester, New Hampshire – July 16, 2012 – Bank of New Hampshire is proud to announce that they have made a $7,500 contribution towards the Granite Homeownership Center and their Financial Fitness seminar program.

NeighborWorks® Greater Manchester and CATCH Neighborhood Housing are collaborating in the provision of homeownership services through what is now the Granite Homeownership Center.  All of their seminar and workshop programs are coordinated now between the two organizations, helping to balance offerings and share resources.

The Financial Fitness seminar programs are free to participants and provide information about basic financial practices – checking and savings accounts, the importance of savings, budgeting, use of credit, and much more. Participants of these programs tend to move toward pre-purchase counseling after this. It is an important first step in creating well informed, responsible homeowners.

“We are very grateful for Bank of New Hampshire’s continued support of this education program, which provides information about financial practices that are essential and relevant throughout one’s life,” stated Robert Tourigny, Executive Director of NeighborWorks® Greater Manchester.  

Bank of New Hampshire, founded in 1831, provides deposit, lending and wealth management products and services to families and businesses throughout New Hampshire. With 21 banking offices throughout New Hampshire and assets exceeding $1 billion, Bank of New Hampshire is the oldest and largest independent bank in the state. Bank of New Hampshire is a mutual organization, focused on the success of the bank’s customers, communities and employees, rather than stockholders.  For more information, call 1-800-832-0912 or visitwww.BankNH.com.

Laconia Savings Bank is now Bank of New Hampshire!

Laconia Savings Bank is proud to announce that they have changed their name to Bank of New Hampshire. “Laconia Savings Bank was established in 1831, right here in Laconia, the heart of New Hampshire.  Over the past 181 years we have grown into a statewide organization with 21 banking offices throughout the state.  We are very proud of our roots and needed a name that reflects who we have become.” explained K. Mark Primeau, President & CEO.

Laconia Savings Bank began as Meredith Bridge Savings Bank and changed its name to Laconia Savings Bank in 1869.  In 1999, Laconia Savings Bank purchased nine Fleet branches, primarily north and west of Laconia.  Since that time, Laconia Savings Bank has opened two new offices in Concord and offices in Bedford, Dover, Rochester and Manchester.  The bank also acquired two Ocean Bank branches in Antrim and Hillsboro in 2008.  “It is important for our customers and our communities to understand that we are not changing our corporate structure.  We are still a mutual bank and we will not be sold. We are only changing our name.” K. Mark Primeau stated.

A brand equity study was conducted to measure the Bank’s brand awareness in different regions of the state and also the perception of the name Laconia Savings Bank outside of the Lakes Region. The results indicated that the name Laconia Savings Bank can imply that the bank is a “small bank on the lake” and the word “savings” suggests a small retail savings bank.  In some cases, the name prevented consideration with businesses or individuals interested in wealth management products and services.  Laconia Savings Bank, now Bank of New Hampshire, offers full service personal banking, business banking and wealth management products and services.

Bank of New Hampshire customers will not need to take any action as their existing checks and debit cards will continue to work as they always have.  In the coming weeks, customers will see a new, yet similar logo. The Bank has retained the existing logo mark, the color and the tagline, New Hampshire’s Local Bank. Customers will see the same friendly faces, in the same convenient locations with the same products and services. The only thing that is changing is the name. The Bank will not relocate its headquarters outside of Laconia, which is centrally located within the Bank’s 21 offices.

Bank of Hampshire is the oldest and largest independent bank in New Hampshire.  The bank has $1.1 billion dollars in assets yet maintains a community bank culture.  Laconia Savings Bank was named Business of the Year in May 2011 by Business NH Magazine and has been named one of top 20 Best Companies to Work for three times, also by Business NH Magazine. “We believe that our customers are proud to be a part of New Hampshire.  There is a long list of reasons to live here and we are proud to have chosen a name that reflects who we are, The Bank of New Hampshire.  We intend to be here for another 181 years or more!” explains K. Mark Primeau.