Corporator Connections
News & Updates for FSB Corporators
FSB partners in Take the Wheel NH Program
Take the Wheel NH is a new program offered to low-to-moderate income families. The program was created by Lakes Region Community Developers, HOMEteam, FSB and Grappone Automotive Group. The goal of the partnership is to put individuals with low incomes into reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles they can afford.
In order to be considered into the program, interested candidates must complete a personal finance coaching program offered by HOMEteam, an organization that provides education and resources to NH residents with the information and tools needed to make good financial decisions. Once a participant completes the counseling requirements, he/she will receive assistance with completing an application for an automobile loan, which will be forwarded to FSB for approval. Once a decision is reached on how much an applicant qualifies for, he/she will work with the sales team at Grappone Automotive Group to select an automobile that fits within their budget.
To learn more about this wonderful program, visit Take the Wheel.
FSB welcomes two new Commercial Loan Officers
FSB recently expanded our commercial lending team with the addition of two new commercial loan officers. Michael Hawkes, VP – Commercial Loan Officer, joined us in July and will be located in our commercial lending office in Bedford. He brings over 20 years of experience to his role in all types of commercial lending. Prior to joining FSB, Mike was a commercial loan officer with Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. He is a graduate of Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., and resides in Merrimack, NH with his wife and two sons.
Todd Watson started with FSB in September as a VP – Commercial Loan Officer and will be based at our Boscawen office. He brings over eight years of banking experience, most recently as a commercial loan officer with Bangor Savings Bank. Todd will focus his efforts on developing relationships with businesses in the greater Concord area. He has a BA in business from Western New England University located in Springfield, Mass. Todd is actively involved in the community where he serves as Treasurer of Fellowship Housing Opportunities, is a Board of Trustee and member of the finance committee for CATCH Neighborhood Housing. Currently, he is a participant in Leadership Greater Concord, which is a program sponsored by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce that fosters civic awareness in the community, so members can become more involved in activities that will enhance the region. Todd resides in Gilford, NH with his wife and two children.
FSB invests in solar to lessen its carbon footprint
The bank formed a partnership with Revision Energy to upgrade five of its locations to renewable solar energy in an effort to lessen its reliance on fossil fuels, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Since August, solar panels have been installed at our Goffstown, Merrimack, Bristol and Gilford offices. Solar panels will be installed at our administrative services center over the next few months.
The solar panels will deliver 184.84 kW of power to five of the bank’s eight locations. The environmental benefits realized from our decision to migrate away from fossil fuels are impressive! The shift to renewable solar energy will eliminate 331,996 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) annual from the earth’s atmosphere. Broken down further is the equivalent:
- 16,945 gallons of gasoline not burned
- Removal of 33 passenger vehicles from the road
- 165,922 pounds of coal not burned
- 51 tons of waste recycled
Revision Energy is a certified B Corp solidifying its commitment to a defined set of non-traditional business practices that benefits employees, customers, and the broader community by creating a positive impact on society and the environment. Visit revisionenergy.com to learn more.
FSB promotes five employees
We are pleased to announce the recent promotions of five employees!
- Joseph Thornton, SVP – Chief Administrative Officer
- Julie Buker, VP – Retail Banking & Branch Administration Officer
- Sue Paradis, VP – BSA, Risk Management, Security & Information Security Officer
- Amy Rankins, AVP – Human Resources Officer
- Annette Slipp, AVP – Credit Manager
Joe joined FSB in 1992 as a Teller Supervisor, then later advanced into several key positions in retail and human resources. In his new role, he will assume oversight of administrative operations for retail, business development, deposit operations, compliance and facilities.
Julie began her career with FSB in 2010 as a Branch Manager. In her expanded role, she will assume oversight on the attainment of strategic goals for the retail group.
Sue started with the bank in 2014 in the IT area as a member of the help desk. She later transitioned into the risk management area where she was later elevated to AVP, BSA, Risk Management, Security & Information Security Officer. She holds a BSA certification from the Independent Community Bankers Association.
Amy joined FSB in 2017 as an Executive/HR Assistant, then was promoted to Human Resources Officer. She has an MBA in human resources management from Southern NH University and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the HR Certification Institute.
Annette started with the bank in 2019 as Credit Manager. She has seven years of banking and over 25 years of credit servicing and management experience, respectively.
FSB Fund for Community Advancement recipients
Nine organizations received a grant from the FSB Fund for Community Advancement, the philanthropic arm of Franklin Savings Bank. This recent round of funding represents the 44th grant cycle totaling $40,000 in awards. This year’s recipients included Belknap House (Laconia), $6,600; Bolduc Park (Gilford), $2,500; Congregational Christian Church of Franklin, $5,000; Hero Pups (Stratham), $5,000; Lakes Region Community Developers (Laconia), $3,500; Lakes Region Community Services (Laconia), $5,000; Peabody Home (Franklin), $7,500; Raven Gael Blaisdell Foundation at Hall Memorial Library (Northfield & Tilton), $2,500; and UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center (Goffstown), $2,500.
The recipients were celebrated at a reception on October 6, 2021 at Mojalaki Country Club in Franklin, NH.
To date, the Fund has awarded 234 grants totaling a staggering $1,068,808 to support a broad range of community activities.
We appreciate referrals from our Corporators!
Did you know as an FSB Corporator, you have the opportunity to be rewarded for your referrals? We offer referral cards for you to hand out to individuals for them to receive $25 when they open a new personal checking account with us. Once the new account is opened, you will also receive $25 deposited into your FSB account! To receive some referral cards, contact Dawn Beers, VP – Marketing Officer, in the marketing department.