PR ACTIVITY Press Releases: Thomas L. Rose Joins Commerce Bank as Senior Vice President Commerce Bank & Habitat for Humanity Receive Federal Home Loan Bank Grant for Worcester Affordable Housing Project UPCOMING EVENTS I Love Lucy: Live on Stage March 6-8 at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester; Commerce Bank is the sponsor. First Aid & CPR Training Tuesday, March 10, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Commerce Bank s Main Street Worcester office; hosted by Royal 50 s Club. First Aid & CPR Training Thursday, March 12, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Commerce Bank s Fenway office; hosted by Royal 50 s Club. West Boylston St. Patrick s Day Parade Sunday, March 15, 12:00 p.m. at Finder s/keeper s Pubs; Commerce Bank is a sponsor. Money Management International Budgeting Workshop Monday, March 23, 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at Commerce Bank Fenway Office. Central Mass. Latino Business Expo Saturday, March 28, 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at Renaissance ADHC Center in Worcester; Commerce Bank is a sponsor. Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester Scrabble Scrimmage & Silent Auction Sunday, March 29, 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel in Worcester; Commerce Bank is a sponsor. Money Management International Budgeting Workshop Monday, March 30, 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at Commerce Bank Main Office. Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Thursday, April 2, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Westborough; Commerce Bank is an exhibitor. Giselle Presented by Music Worcester Friday, April 17, 8:00 p.m. at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester; Commerce Bank is a sponsor. 1
Thomas L. Rose Joins Commerce Bank As Senior Vice President Worcester, MA, February 4, 2015 Commerce Bank announces that Thomas L. Rose has joined the Bank as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Commercial Lending Worcester. In his new position, Mr. Rose will oversee Commerce Bank s Commercial Lending team in Worcester and lead its efforts to build its portfolio of commercial loans and deposits in Central Massachusetts. Mr. Rose has more than 30 years of commercial banking experience in numerous capacities, most recently as Senior Vice President and Senior Client Manager at Bank of America. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. About Commerce Bank Commerce Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured, state-chartered financial institution. Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Bank offers a comprehensive array of innovative financial solutions including commercial and consumer loans as well as deposit, savings and retirement accounts. These services are available Page 2
through the Bank s 16 convenient offices located throughout Central Massachusetts and in Boston. As of December 31, 2014, Commerce Bank had over $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.bankatcommerce.com. ### COMMERCE BANK & HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RECEIVE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK GRANT FOR WORCESTER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT Kendig Street Home Being Renovated for Wounded Veteran and Family Worcester, MA, February 11, 2015 Commerce Bank and Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester have been awarded a $25,000 grant by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, to help fund the rehabilitation of a single-family home in Worcester for a wounded veteran and his or her family. The grant is part of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston s 2014 Affordable Housing Program (AHP), which awarded $44.8 million to support affordable housing initiatives in the six New England states. Each year, funding for projects submitted to the AHP by member institutions, such as Commerce Bank, is awarded in a single competitive round. Located at 79 Kendig Street in Worcester, the house was donated to Habitat for Humanity by the College Hill Civic Association. Upon completion of the renovations, the house will Page 3
be ADA- compliant if needed, LEED-certified, and Worcester s first net-zero-energy affordable home. It is Habitat for Humanity s first Veterans Build project. The home will be sold to a veteran who demonstrates a need for housing, the willingness to partner with Habitat and the ability to pay a mortgage. Qualified families earn 25% to 60% of the area median income, attend homeownership and budgeting classes and contribute 400 to 500 hours of sweat equity. Habitat provides a 0%-interest mortgage. To insure homeowner success, prospective homeowners must attend training and work with a Habitat Family Partner who serves as a mentor. We are pleased to help Habitat for Humanity carry out their mission of building homes, communities and hope, and thank the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston for their support of this Veterans Build project, said Commerce Bank President and CEO Brian W. Thompson. It is especially gratifying to know that it will become home for a veteran who has given much in service to our country. Our corporate partners provide the foundation for Habitat families to build their dreams, said Habitat for Humanity s Director of Development, Heidi Charlebois. To be able to offer the stability of homeownership to a veteran family is a great feeling. Knowing their children will remain in one school system and one community throughout their educational and recreational development, enhancing their opportunities to thrive, is what makes Habitat Homes truly special. It is our corporate partners like Commerce Bank and FHLB who make it all possible. We are proud to partner with our member Commerce Bank and Habitat for Humanity to provide funding for a wonderful home for a veteran and his or her family, said Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston President and CEO Edward A. Hjerpe III. Ten percent of our annual profits are awarded to worthy affordable-housing initiatives like Veterans Build, which also help create jobs and boost the local economy. About Commerce Bank Commerce Bank is a full-service, FDIC-insured, state-chartered financial institution. Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Bank offers a comprehensive array of innovative financial solutions including commercial and consumer loans as well as deposit, savings and retirement accounts. These services are available through the Bank s 16 convenient offices located throughout Central Massachusetts and in Boston. As of December 31, 2014, Commerce Bank had over $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.bankatcommerce.com. About Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester Founded in Americus, Georgia, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe and has helped build, renovate and repair more than 600,000 decent, affordable houses sheltering more than 3 million people worldwide. Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester is dedicated Page 4
to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, visit www.habitatmwgw.org. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston is a cooperatively owned wholesale bank for housing finance in the six New England states. Its mission is to support the residential-mortgage and community development lending activities of its members, which include more than 440 financial institutions across New England. To accomplish its mission, the Bank utilizes private-sector capital to provide members and other qualified customers with reliable access to low-cost wholesale funds, liquidity, a competitive outlet for the sale of loans, special lending programs, technical assistance, and other products and services. For more information, visit www.fhlbboston.com. ### Page 5
Photo Caption Commerce Bank and Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester have been awarded a $25,000 grant by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, to help fund the rehabilitation of a single-family home in Worcester for a wounded veteran and his or her family. The grant is part of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston s 2014 Affordable Housing Program (AHP), which awarded $44.8 million to support affordable housing initiatives in the six New England states. Pictured at the home at 79 Kendig Street in Worcester, from left to right, are Kathy Naczas, Senior Community Investment Manager at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston; Tim Firment, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester; Commerce Bank Loan Officer James How; and Commerce Bank Senior Vice President Thomas Rose. ### Page 6