Wainwright Bank Ranked The “Ultimate” High-Purpose Company

BOSTON, MA, January 15, 2007 - Wainwright Bank & Trust Company (NASDAQ: WAIN) was named the “ultimate” high-purpose company in a book recently published by Harper Collins entitled THE HIGH-PURPOSE COMPANY: The Truly Responsible (and Highly Profitable) Firms That Are Changing Business Now by author Christine Arena.

In the book, Ms. Arena and a team of 10 McGill University graduate students used a groundbreaking methodology of their own design to assess 75 companies claiming to be socially responsible. Their results provided a clear distinction between those companies that are truly extraordinary and those merely pretending to be.

“Not only does the bank do what no other bank can, it does what no other bank would dare to do.” “It is the ultimate High-Purpose Company.” A chapter in the book profiles Wainwright Bank.

Ms. Arena and her team spent thousands of hours studying public records, news articles and company-issued reports. They interviewed stakeholders including consumers, watchdog groups and industry experts, as well as employees and shareholders. Their findings were revealing – some companies claiming to be socially responsible were not, while others making no such claim were well on the path to becoming high-purpose. Other companies tested included Tom’s of Maine, IKEA, General Electric and Toyota.

“We are delighted to be recognized as the ultimate high-purpose company in Ms. Arena’s book. It’s a true testament to our concept of ‘banking on values’,” said Steve Young, Wainwright Bank Senior Vice President.

Christine Arena, a corporate strategist and researcher, is the author of the award-winning book Cause for Success. Her books allow readers to easily discern companies who’ve truly implemented successful strategies in support of corporate social responsibility. She is also a frequent speaker on this topic, presenting to corporate and academic audiences worldwide.

With $800 million in assets and 11 branches throughout Greater Boston, Wainwright Bank is widely recognized as one of the most progressive community banks in the country. It has provided over $500 million in loan commitments for socially progressive development projects including affordable housing, homeless shelters, environmental protection, HIV/AIDS services, immigration services and more. Recent recognition includes being ranked 18th among the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” for 2006 by Business Ethics magazine.

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