To accommodate the company’s ever-expanding growth, New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp (NHMB) has recently opened a second operations center on 16 Foundry Street in Concord. The location is the new headquarters for many Concord-based staff of NHMB and Merrimack County Savings Bank (the Merrimack) in operations, executive management and finance. This is NHMB’s second operations center– the other being located at the Seneca Ladd Building in Meredith. Operations, marketing, commercial lending, business development and finance employees from the Lakes Region are based out of that location. Additional operations staff will also continue to work in the Keene and Walpole areas at Savings Bank of Walpole offices. The 18,000 square foot center is owned by the Merrimack.
“Our intent was to build a facility that could accommodate our evolving customer and community needs,” said Gregg Tewksbury, President and CEO of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp. “NHMB allows our banks to remain independent and distinctive. While self-governing, our affiliates also share costs and ideas. The new operations center on Foundry Street allows us to meet the needs for space to support our growing banks while keeping jobs in the communities we’ve been serving for over 150 years. We’re extremely pleased with the new center and the help we had with many contractors who worked together to produce creative solutions for our employees, including quiet areas, a collaboration room with comfortable furniture and lockers for personal storage.”
“The interior was designed to be very light and open,” said Alison Whynot, Vice President of Facilities and CRA Officer at NHMB. “It employs proper ergonomics for optimal employee comfort, and desks both raise and lower to encourage stretching and standing.”
NHMB is housed on the entire third floor and in two-thirds of the building’s second floor. Neighboring businesses include Concord Pediatric Dentistry and Concord Orthodontics. “Employees immediately felt welcome and at home. I couldn’t be happier with how smoothly the transition went and how hospitable our new neighbors are,” shared Whynot.
New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp, a mutual holding company, was formed in 2013 when two New Hampshire-based community banks, Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) and the Merrimack, formally affiliated – the first relationship of its kind in New Hampshire. MillRiver Wealth Management (MillRiver) joined as a third subsidiary in 2015, combining the financial advisory divisions of MVSB and the Merrimack. In July 2018, Savings Bank of Walpole (SBW) joined. This strategic partnership has positioned the banks to leverage each other’s strengths as the companies work together to advance a shared vision of maintaining and enhancing their mutual community banking heritage and values. Each bank remains separately chartered and locally managed. This way, each continues a 150 year old tradition of serving the local community, while sharing supportive resources such as information technology, risk management, compliance, marketing, human resources, finance and operations. NHMB provides the framework for enhancing efficiencies and profitability of individual affiliated brands.
The success of NHMB’s unique model has led to significant growth in assets, in local volunteerism and nonprofit financial support as well as community-based employment. This model has also allowed for substantial career opportunities for staff.
“We invest a great deal of time and energy ensuring our actions and policies promote a healthy workplace culture, providing both work and community involvement opportunities that are rewarding for all employees,” continued Tewksbury. “We are very proud to offer exciting career opportunities in a number of banking areas that include business development, compliance, customer service and management, information technology, finance, lending and operations.”