Mainebiz

W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 20 T he past year has been challenging for the banking industry. The industry was running full tilt when interest rates were low and homeowners were seek- ing to refinance mortgages and prospective home buyers were going through competitive bid- ding for houses. Nearly as soon as interest rates rose, bankers were shifting into other business lines. Meanwhile, turmoil at Sili- con Valley Bank in California and Signature Bank in New York sent shock waves through the industry. Yet, through it all, Maine's banking industry has remained sound — and banks and credit unions continue to hire for a range of positions and continue to grow. Here's a roundup of some of the recent growth. Camden National promotes from within to fill new DEI position Camden National Bank has announced the creation of a critical new leadership position. Kathleen "Kate" Bellmore was promoted to senior vice president for talent acquisition and diver- sity, equity and inclusion officer. The promotion comes as Cam- den National "expands its diverse talent pipelines and builds upon its strong foundation to shape an environment where diverse voices and backgrounds continue to be welcomed and heard." Bellmore has helped Camden National Bank with recruiting activities across its footprint in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts for over 10 years. Bellmore will lead the bank's DEI efforts while continuing her cur- rent role in talent acquisition. "Adding this important role to our organization will help us become a stronger company with Kate's guidance," said Gregory A. Dufour, president and CEO of Camden National. "Kate brings extensive knowledge with over 15 years of experience in human resources and truly understands the value that a diverse work- force adds to how well we serve our customers and communi- ties who encompass different perspectives and backgrounds." B e l l m o r e h a s b e e n r e c - ognized as a senior certified professional by the Society for Human Resource Management and a professional in human re- sources by the Human Resource Certification Institute. She received her MBA in hu- man resource management from Thomas College and is expected to graduate from the Maine De- velopment Foundation's Insti- tute for Civic Leadership devel- opment program this spring. Bellmore is a midcoast native and lives in South Thomaston. She volunteers in the local com- munity by serving on the board of the Midcoast Human Resources Association and the Coastal Coun- ties Workforce Board, which sup- ports Maine's six coastal counties. Camden National Corp. (NAS- DAQ: CAC), with $5.7 billion in assets, has 58 banking centers and additional lending offices in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It was ranked No. 2 on a list of Maine-based banks in the 2023 Mainebiz Book of Lists, ranked by Maine deposits as of June 30, 2022. Northeast Bank adds SVP of community banking development Northeast Bank (Nasdaq: NBN), based in Portland, has hired a veteran banker to serve as the new senior vice president of the community banking develop- ment office. In this new role, Stevan Stromsky will help individuals and businesses access deposit products and services designed to help them earn a higher rate of return and save money on fees. "I look forward to serving the greater Portland area with Northeast Bank's full suite of con- sumer and small business deposit products, services, and excellent savings rates," Stromsky said. Stromsky most re cently worked at KeyBank, where he was the branch manager of the One Monument Square location in Portland. Before KeyBank, Strom- sky worked for Bank of America. Stromsky is a member of the Portland Rotary Club and also volunteers at Preble Street, Ju- nior Achievement of Maine and the Salvation Army. "His customer-centric ap- proach, along with two decades of banking experience in the Maine market, is a great fit for Northeast Bank as we expand our reach throughout Maine and offer the communities we serve access to competitive deposit products, services, and inter- est rates," said Robert Banaski, senior vice president, director of Community Banking. Northeast Bank has branches in Portland, Poland, Brunswick, P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F C A M D E N N A T I O N A L B A N K P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F A T L A N T I C F C U F i n a n c i a l S e r v i c e s C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 2 2 » BANKING INDUSTRY continues to hire for a range of positions The industry continues to evolve, even in an uncertain economy B Y A L E X I S W E L L S Atlantic Federal Credit Union's newest branch is in Westbrook. Kathleen "Kate" Bellmore

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