BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today attended the 150^th Anniversary Celebration for Norway Savings Bank at the bank’s branch on Maine Street in Brunswick, where he presented a special Congressional Record statement recognizing the bank’s longstanding and high-quality service to Maine people.  As a strong supporter of community banks like Norway Savings, Senator King has been working in Congress to cut unnecessary government red-tape and help make it easier for these valuable small financial institutions to serve their communities.

“Today I wish to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of Norway Savings Bank, a mutual savings bank based in southern Maine. This community bank has a long and proud history of serving the people of Maine and I am proud to add my voice to those in our grateful state in recognizing this milestone,” said Senator King in his statement for the Congressional Record. “I am proud to join the people of Norway, Maine, and communities across western and southern Maine, in thanking Norway Savings Bank for their commitment to the people of Maine and continued work on behalf of our great state. This milestone is a testament to their hard work over the past 150 years, and I wish them many more years of success.”  

Senator King’s Regional Representative, Ben Tucker, also presented a copy of the Congressional Record Statement today during a celebration at the bank’s original Norway branch.

The complete statement submitted to the Congressional Record is as follows:

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CELEBRATING THE 150^TH ANNIVERSARY OF NORWAY SAVINGS BANK

Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of Norway Savings Bank, a mutual savings bank based in southern Maine. This community bank has a long and proud history of serving the people of Maine and I am proud to add my voice to those in our grateful state in recognizing this milestone. Norway Savings Bank will celebrate its anniversary by hosting events on February 5, 2016, at each of their 24 locations across western and southern Maine.

When Norway Savings Bank was incorporated in 1866, Norway was a small, but growing, town with a third of the population settled today. A century and a half later, Norway has become a bustling mill town, as well as a popular tourist destination. And since it opened its original building on Main Street in Norway in 1894, Norway Savings Bank has proven itself to be an exemplary community bank.

As a mutual savings bank, Norway Savings Bank is first and foremost accountable to its depositors and the community. At Norway Savings Bank, customers not only find high quality service, but also an engaged and warm environment. Its dedicated employees have continued the tradition of providing customers with prompt and personalized solutions, regardless of the financial challenge. The bank’s great customer service and hard work even has people “from away” taking notice: DepositAccounts.com named them one of the top 200 healthiest banks in 2014.  

Norway Savings Bank’s investment in its employees is also commendable. The bank consistently prioritizes the wellbeing of its staff and is consistently recognized as a top employer in the state of Maine. The bank was named one of the Best Banks to Work For in America in 2013 by the American Bankers Association, and branches of the company have been awarded "Best Places to Work in Maine" by The Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Maine State Council.

Finally, bank leadership and employees prove that they understand the true meaning of “relationship banking” by devoting countless hours of their valuable time, as well as their resources, to the betterment of Maine by regularly supporting important community initiatives and issues. Between 2012 and 2014, Norway Savings Bank employees volunteered 27,788 hours of their time to different organizations in the community.

The bank’s core business model of putting community first remains true today even as Norway, Maine, and the broader financial depository industry have changed dramatically. I am proud to join the people of Norway, Maine, and communities across western and southern Maine, in thanking Norway Savings Bank for their commitment to the people of Maine and continued work on behalf of our great state. This milestone is a testament to their hard work over the past 150 years, and I wish them many more years of success.

Photo 1: Senator King helps celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Norway Savings Bank at the bank’s branch in Brunswick.

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