Berkshire Bank Expands Boston Team

PITTSFIELD, Mass., Oct. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) is pleased to announce the addition of three new leaders to the Bank's established team in the Greater Boston area: Paul Kelly, Regional President – Boston and Worcester; Doug MacLean, Senior Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Market Executive; and Susan Yahn DiPinto, Senior Vice President, Private Banking. By adding these top bankers, Berkshire deepens its capacity to serve the Eastern Massachusetts market.

"As we expand our presence in Greater Boston, it is key that we use our resources to add highly qualified people who are passionate about bringing our AMEB culture to Boston," said Berkshire Bank President, Richard Marotta.  "That culture is reinforced by the men and women that we employ and the strength of the teams we put in place.  With our planned headquarters move to Boston, we've assembled a strong team with all the tools needed to navigate the Boston market and compete effectively with the larger institutions in the area."

Kelly joins Berkshire from People's United Bank where he was Regional Market President for Central MA.  Prior to that he was Market Leader in Boston for Santander Bank.  Kelly brings 30 years' experience in banking in Greater Boston with a proven track record of strong financial, strategic, and operational leadership.  Kelly and the existing team are well positioned to enhance and expand the Bank's commercial relationships in the area, including the Boston and Worcester market, in support of Berkshire's expansion initiatives.

MacLean joins Berkshire Bank from KeyBank where he served as the New England Market Executive of First Niagara Bank, which Key acquired in 2016.  He is a 30 year commercial banking veteran, including having served as the Division Head for TD Bank's CRE Lending operation, with experience not only in financing real estate but also in real estate development.  As a native of Hudson, MA, a graduate of MIT, and a current resident of Harvard, MA, MacLean's knowledge and experience in eastern Massachusetts is a welcome addition to the Berkshire Bank team as the Bank continues its expansion.

DiPinto joins Berkshire with 30 years of relationship management and leadership experience, most recently with Boston Private Bank.  Consistent with Berkshire's highly personalized private banking model, DiPinto will leverage her local experience to expand the Bank's customer relationships across Berkshire's full suite of products and services.  Her breadth of experience will also enhance Berkshire's MyBanker Concierge Banking in Boston.  This platform provides a single point of contact for all banking needs, combining direct access to a dedicated Berkshire Bank relationship expert with the convenience of technology.

"The energy and depth of experience Paul, Doug and Susan add to our Boston area team strengthens our ability to fill an unmet need for innovative and personalized banking services," commented Chief Operating Officer, Sean Gray.  "Their placement as leaders in the Boston market further solidifies our commitment to the region.  Since first announcing our plans to open a branch on Congress Street in 2016, we've strategically added to the team and know that the bank is poised to make a real impact in the local market."

Berkshire subsidiary, First Choice Loan Services, Inc., also recently announced the addition of Kevin Gillis as New England Regional Vice President.  Gillis is an established regional leader with decades of experience and national recognition as a top mortgage professional.  He oversees a large team of residential mortgage lenders in the Greater Boston area.  Gillis will enhance the local presence of First Choice, a nationally prominent mortgage provider, and will support Berkshire's overall consumer banking offerings in the Boston market.    

Berkshire'sBoston team is led by Boston native and Senior Executive Vice President, George Bacigalupo, and includes well-established banking leaders Mark Foster, Executive Vice President, Regional Commercial Leader – Asset Based Lending; Brant McDougall, SVP Commercial Regional Leader – Eastern Massachusetts; Gregory DiMarzio, SVP Regional Operations Leader – Boston; and Julinda Sheshi, VP, Relationship Manager.  

ABOUT BERKSHIRE HILLS

Berkshire Hills Bancorp is the parent of Berkshire Bank - America's Most Exciting Bank®. The Company has approximately $9.6 billion in assets, 97 full service branches in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania providing personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services. The Company also offers mortgages and specialized commercial lending services in targeted national markets. The Company has a pending agreement to acquire Commerce Bancshares Corp., the parent company of Commerce Bank, a $1.9 billion bank with 16 branches in the Worcester, MA and Boston, MA markets.  For more information, visit www.berkshirebank.com.

CONTACTS

Investor Relations Contact:

Allison O'Rourke; Executive Vice President, Investor Relations Officer; 413-236-3149

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Mach; Senior Vice President, Marketing Officer; 413-445-8390

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SOURCE Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.