Maine Banking News

KeyBank has announced that Raymond T. (Chip) Kelley has been named Maine Market President, in addition to his current role as commercial sales leader for Maine, New Hampshire, and Eastern Massachusetts. As market president, Kelley will be actively involved in the community and will serve as the external executive face of Key. He will also partner closely with Key’s corporate responsibility group to develop and implement a community lending and investment strategy that will enable Key to meet its corporate and social responsibilities.

“Chip possesses extensive commercial banking experience, market knowledge, and strong leadership qualities,” said E.J. Burke, co-president of Key Community Bank. “Together with his active involvement in the community, he is the ideal candidate to fill this role.”

Kelley joined KeyBank as commercial banking team leader for Key’s New England district in 2005, after 13 years at Bank of America in Portland. He began his banking career with Shawmut Bank in Boston in 1985 and also spent two years in the early 1990s with Bank South in Atlanta GA. Kelley currently serves on the boards of North Atlantic Venture Capital Corp., Maine International Trade and the New England Ocean Cluster and as board member and treasurer of Maine and Co., Maine Technology Institute, and Piper Shores. He also serves on the finance committee of the United Way of Greater Portland.

“I’ve worked with this talented team of banking and financial professionals for many years, and it is a great honor to now take the helm as market president,” said Kelley. “KeyBank’s commitment to the customers and communities we serve has made us a leader in the market, and I am excited to continue to drive the Maine team forward.”

Kelley earned a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and resides in Cape Elizabeth.  He maintains offices in Key’s Maine Market Center at One Canal Street in Portland, and in Key’s Boston commercial office at 225 Franklin Street, Boston MA.

MAINE COMMUNITY BANCORP TAPS VETERAN BANKING, BUSINESS, AND PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE AS PRESIDENT AND CEO

With its announcement today of the hiring of a single president and CEO, the board of directors of the mutual holding company Maine Community Bancorp advanced its goal of strengthening the alliance of its two independent holdings, Biddeford Savings Bank and Mechanics Savings Bank.

By hiring Jeanne Hulit as its president and CEO, the board is underscoring Maine Community Bancorp’s commitment to community banking, local economies, small business, and customer service.

Hulit brings nearly two decades of banking experience as well as experience leading a Maine-based manufacturer and several years in public service at the state and federal levels.

“Jeanne Hulit’s decades of experience in banking alone would make her an excellent candidate to lead this organization,” said Jon S. Oxman, Chair of the Maine Community Bancorp board of directors. “But what really makes her stand out is her leadership skill. In banking, in public service, in community service—her knowledge, skill, and leadership, often in the face of great change, make her the perfect person to strengthen this alliance of community banks. Jeanne has the expertise to assess situations, make sound decisions, and execute with successful results.”

Hulit comes to Maine Community Bancorp from serving as President of Village Candle in Wells, Maine, where she helped expand the company’s international market and improved cost effectiveness by taking advantage of the proximity of the Port of Portland and resident shipping company Eimskip.

Prior to that, over the course of her nearly 20 years in banking in Maine Hulit has served as President of Community Banking for Northeast Bank, Senior Vice President for Commercial Lending at Citizens Bank, and Vice President of Key Bank.

In 2013, after having served as both the New England Regional Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Associate Administrator for the SBA’s Office of Capital Access, Hulit joined the cabinet of President Barack Obama as acting Administrator of the SBA.

Earlier public service included her appointment as Deputy Director of the International Division at the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

“An unfailing belief in the strength of Maine citizens, workers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses to create the kinds of communities where we all want to live, work and raise families, fuels my passion for the community banking model,” said Hulit, “and the commitment of Maine Community Bancorp to its communities and to its continued independence is gratifying. I’m eager to be a part of its future.”

Biddeford Savings Bank CEO Charles Petersen and Mechanic Savings Bank CEO Rick Vail, both of whom helped guide their respective banks through the visionary creation of Maine Community Bancorp, will retire in October soon after Hulit assumes the position of President and CEO.

“The wisdom and expertise that Charles and Rick have brought to bear in the creation of Maine Community Bancorp, as well as in maintaining the independent identities of the two banks is truly admirable,” added Hulit. “They’ve laid a solid foundation upon which we can all continue to build.”

Chartered in 1867, Biddeford Savings Bank has offices in Biddeford, Waterboro, Scarborough, and Kennebunk. Its long-standing tradition of giving back to the community has supported myriad local enterprises including the Scarborough Land Trust, the Annual Feast of Generations, Adopt-A-Family, the Community Bicycle Center, Music on Main Street, and Concerts in the Park.

Mechanics Savings Bank, based in Auburn, Maine, has provided personal service to its customers since 1875.  With offices in Auburn, Brunswick, Lewiston, and Windham, Mechanics Savings Bank is also a strong partner to its communities, donating to more than 90 local organizations and funding scholarships to 11 area high schools.

In 2015, the two banks entered into an agreement to form Maine Community Bancorp, an alignment that positioned each bank to build upon their strengths and competitive advantages by sharing resources, significantly increasing their loan capabilities, and cost efficiencies.

The hiring of a single president and CEO marks the beginning of a new period of growth and opportunity that strengthens the company’s commitment to community banking.

At the 125^th Annual Meeting of the Maine Bankers Association, June 6-8^th in South Casco, the member banks elected Patricia Weigel, President & CEO of Norway Savings Bank, to head the Maine Bankers Association as Chair beginning July 1^st.

Mrs. Weigel joined Norway Savings Bank in 2001 and has worked in the banking industry for 31 years. She is active in the community and serves on the boards of Norway Savings Bank and the Outdoor Sports Institute. Pat also serves as board chair of Western Maine Health and is a member of the Professional Development Council of the American Bankers Association (ABA). She received a B.S. in Psychology from Denison University.

Tony McKim, President & CEO of First National Bank, was elected Vice Chair of the Association. Mr. McKim began his banking career twenty-six years ago as an Internal Auditor and held various positions until eventually becoming President.  He is involved in many community organizations and founded Acadian Youth Sports, to bring children from grades 3 through 8 together to learn to play sports.  He currently a member of American Bankers Association Government Relations Council.

William Tracy, President & CEO, Auburn Savings Bank, FSB and Robert C. Quentin, President & CEO, Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution were elected to the Association’s Executive Committee for three-year terms expiring June 2021. John Witherspoon, President & CEO, Skowhegan Savings Bank, was elected for a two-year term expiring June 2020 and William B. Williamson, State President, Bank of America, N.A., was elected for a one-year term expiring June 2019.

Members who will continue to serve by virtue of their election in a previous year are: Robert Montgomery-Rice, President & CEO, Bangor Savings Bank; Andrew C. Perry, President & CEO, First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Bath; Lawrence L. Barker, President & CEO, Machias Savings Bank; Scott D. Conant, President & CEO, Damariscotta Bank & Trust Company; and Immediate Past Chair Andrew E. Silsby, President & CEO, Kennebec Savings Bank.

KeyBank’s Maine President Sterling Koslowski passed away on Saturday, June 9. He was 59. Our thoughts go out to Sterling’s family as well as his co-workers at KeyBank. Sterling was KeyBank’s New England Regional Sales Executive and Maine Market President, a title he held for the past six years. He had served on the Maine Banker’s Executive Committee from 2012 through 2015 and had been on the MBA Board of Directors since he arrived in Maine in February 2010.