Bank of Canton Hires Victor Abate as Regional Lending Manager

December 2006- James D. Egan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Canton, is pleased to announce that Victor Abate was recently hired as a Regional Lending Manager. Abate is based at Bank of Canton's corporate office, located at 490 Turnpike Street in Canton, where he will be instrumental in servicing residential customers throughout Westwood, Dedham, West Roxbury and the surrounding communities. Abate will be influential in originating mortgages, assisting customers in their home buying and refinancing decisions and managing the flow of the loan process for customers, from application to closing.

"Bank of Canton is well-known and respected in the banking community," Abate said. "Its unwavering dedication to its customers combined with its comprehensive array of services makes Bank of Canton truly unique."

Abate is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of banking experience. Prior to joining Bank of Canton, he served as a Senior Loan Officer at People's Mortgage Corporation in Wellesley for more than four years. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Loan Officer at Centerbank Mortgage Company in Waterbury, Conn. and as a Senior Mortgage Consultant at Northeastern Mortgage Company in Cambridge, Mass. His expertise in originating mortgage loans and servicing residential customers provides a vital foundation for his work with Bank of Canton.

"Victor's extensive backgrounds within the mortgage industry, combined with his consummate dedication to his customers make him the perfect candidate for the position," Egan said. "We look forward to the opportunities he will create."

Abate studied at Northeastern University in Boston and received his Certificate in Banking from the American Institute of Banking in Boston. The Westwood resident is affiliated with professional organizations such as The Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association, Westwood Youth Hockey and The Westwood Lions Club. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with his family.