Bristol County Savings Bank recognized by MHFA as #1 lender

Bristol County Savings Bank (BCSB) was recently recognized by the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency for being ranked the Number One Lender in Bristol County for First Mortgage Production in 2009. Mark Moreira, secondary marketing and investor relations manager, and Jennifer Banks-Oldfield, a mortgage consultant, received the award on behalf of the Bank from Thomas R. Gleason, the executive director of MassHousing. The Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) is an independent, quasi-public agency created in 1966 and charged with providing financing for affordable housing in Massachusetts. The agency raises capital by selling bonds and lends the proceeds to low and moderate-income homebuyers and homeowners, and to developers who build or preserve affordable and/or mixed-income rental housing. MHFA does not use taxpayer dollars to sustain its operations, although it administers some publicly funded programs on behalf of the Commonwealth. Since its inception, MHFA has provided more than $5.6 billion for rental housing and more than $4.8 billion for homeownership. For more information, visit the MHFA website at www.masshousing.com. Background Information: Bristol County Savings Bank, founded in 1846, is a full-service financial institution offering commercial lending, personal and business banking, and mortgage services. In 1976, the Bank opened its first branch office in Raynham Center. Steady branch expansion has continued ever since, with branches following in Rehoboth in 1981, North Raynham in 1982, County Street in Taunton in 1988, Attleboro in 1994, North Attleboro in 1998, Franklin in 2000, Pawtucket, RI in 2001, Dartmouth in 2007 and New Bedford in June 2010. The Bank also operates two Educational Branch Offices for students and faculty located at Taunton High School and Attleboro High School. In addition to growing the full-service banking branch network, the Bank has also expanded its loan operations over the years with dedicated loan centers located throughout Bristol County in Taunton, Attleboro, Fall River and Dartmouth. Bristol County Savings Bank began expanding into other avenues in 1995 with the acquisition of Anawon Trust in Attleboro, MA, the Bank's trust and investment advisory division which has successfully assisted businesses, individuals and non-profits with the management of their assets since 1989. In 2009, the Bank invested in the Farrell Backlund Insurance Agency, LLC, its majority-owned subsidiary, one of Southeastern Massachusetts' largest independent insurance agencies. This alliance allows the Bank to provide quality insurance options from more than 50 experienced insurance professionals. The steady growth and expansion has resulted in $1.2 billion in assets and over 300 employees in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The key words at Bristol County Savings Bank are: "Commitment, Stability, and Community," values that are combined with state-of-the-art technology to meet the needs of its customers. A dedicated local community bank for over 160 years, Bristol County Savings Bank is actively involved in giving back to all the communities it serves both through financial support and the volunteerism of its people. The Main Office and Corporate Headquarters of Bristol County Savings Bank are located on Broadway in Taunton, MA. For additional information please call 508-824-6626, or visit www.bristolcountysavings.com.