Banknorth Staff Promotions & Hires, Winter & Spring 2003

Banknorth Group, Inc. (NYSE: BNK) is one of the country's 35 largest commercial banking companies with $26 billion in assets. Banknorth, N.A., is the parent company of Peoples Heritage Bank, with the leading market share in Maine, and other banking divisions in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and upstate New York.

The company and its banking affiliates also operate subsidiaries in insurance (Banknorth Insurance Group), investments (Bancnorth Investment Planning Group, Inc.), a money management firm (Banknorth Investment Management Group, NA), and a leasing company (Banknorth Leasing). Other subsidiaries and divisions provide services in mortgage banking, asset-based lending, private banking, merchant services and other financial services. For more information about Banknorth, visit the company online at www.banknorth.com.

David Strouse Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth Group

David G. Strouse has been named a vice president in the Treasury Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Portland. In his role as treasury product manager, he will continue to structure and implement interest rate hedging strategies for commercial loan customers in six states served by Banknorth.

A certified financial analyst, Strouse joined Banknorth in 1997 and has previously served as an assistant vice president, an asset/liability analyst and a commercial credit analyst with Peoples Heritage Bank, a Banknorth subsidiary. He is a member of the Association for Investment Management and Research, and the Maine Chapter of the Boston Security Analysts Society.

A South Portland resident, Strouse is a 1996 graduate of Bates College in Lewiston. A native of Norwich, Conn., he is a 1992 graduate of Norwich Free Academy.
# # #

Katherine Spear Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth Group

Katherine A. Spear has been named a vice president in the Deposit Fraud Control Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Lewiston. She will continue to oversee the fraud control unit for Banknorth-affiliate banks in six states.

Spear joined Banknorth in 1996 and has 18 years in banking. She has previously served in various supervisory positions within deposit accounting and operations sections. Spear is a member of the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators.

A resident of Gray, Spear volunteers with the Make a Wish Foundation. Originally from Portland, she is a 1983 graduate of Deering High School in Portland.
# # #

Tracey Perkins Promoted to Officer at Banknorth Group

Tracey L. Perkins has been named an officer in the Electronic Banking Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Lewiston. In her role as accounting supervisor, she will continue to oversee balancing of the bank's 487 ATM machines and settling Visa transactions.

Perkins joined Banknorth in 1998 and previously has served in areas related to bankcard and ATM research.

A resident of Lewiston, Perkins volunteers with the March of Dimes. Originally from Greene, she is a 1991 graduate of Leavitt Area High School.
# # #

Vicky LaChance Promoted to Officer at Banknorth

Vicky J. LaChance has been named an officer in the Electronic Banking Unit at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Portland. In her role as a fraud research supervisor, she will continue to lead a team of specialists assigned to research and resolve all ATM card and VISA debit card disputes, including investigation of all fraudulent activity to minimize loss to the company.

LaChance joined Banknorth in 2001 and has 15 years in banking. She has previously served as a fraud risk specialist, loan officer and teller.

A Clinton resident, LaChance volunteers as a PAL Cheering Coach. A native of Waterville, she is a 1989 graduate of Waterville High School.
# # #

Elizabeth Coulter Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth

Elizabeth A. Coulter has been promoted to assistant vice president in the Loan Operations Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Lewiston. A loan operations manager, she will continue to manage document control, overseeing the records, collateral and collateral release departments.

Coulter joined Banknorth in 1996. She previously has served as an officer, records clerk, payoff specialist, records supervisor and collateral supervisor.

A resident of Auburn, Coulter is active in the United Way and the South Lewiston Little League. She is a 1985 graduate of Hampden Academy in Hampden.
# # #


Robert Staab Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth

Robert A. Staab has been named a vice president in the Mortgage Department at Banknorth Group in Portland. He will continue to serve as a mortgage origination manager, overseeing a team of originators between Winslow and Portland.

Staab joined Banknorth in 1995 and has more than 20 years in banking.

A Gorham resident and a native of Jefferson, Staab serves on the Merrymeeting Board of Realtors and is active in Boy Scouts. He is a 1977 graduate of Maine Maritime Academy in Castine and a 1973 graduate of Lincoln Academy.
# # #

Heath Ramsdell Promoted to Officer at Banknorth

Heath W. Ramsdell has been named an officer in the Finance Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Portland. In his role as an accounting supervisor, he will continue to oversee such areas as account reconciliation and daily system balancing.

Ramsdell joined Banknorth in 2000 and has previously served as an accounting clerk. A Limington resident, Ramsdell is a 2001 graduate of the University of Southern Maine in Portland, and a 1997 graduate of Bonny Eagle High School in Standish.

# # #

William Zafirson Promoted to Senior Vice President at Banknorth

William J. Zafirson has been named a senior vice president at Banknorth Mortgage Group. As the Maine State Sales Manager, he will continue to be responsible for overseeing mortgage loan origination through loan officers and Peoples Heritage Bank branches across Maine.

Zafirson joined Banknorth in 1998 and has 20 years in banking. He has previously served as a pricing and pipeline manager with Banknorth and as a commercial lender with another Maine bank. Zafirson is an affiliate member of the Portland Board of Realtors

A Saco resident, Zafirson serves as the vice chair of the board of directors at Sweetser, and volunteers as a fundraiser for various organizations. He is a 1983 graduate of Bates College and in 1990 received an MBA from the University of Southern Maine School of Business. A Biddeford native, Zafirson is a 1979 graduate of Biddeford High.
# # #

Teresa Dutton Promoted to Assistant Vice President at Banknorth Group

Teresa L. Dutton has been named an assistant vice president in the Savings Unit at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Lewiston. In her role as savings section manager, she will continue to oversee the daily operations of the savings department, covering such areas as customer service, levy department, foreign collections, monetary clerks and savings non-post items.

Dutton joined Banknorth in 2001 and has 16 years in banking. She has previously served as a branch manager at another Maine bank.

A Topsham resident and Durham native, Dutton is a 1982 graduate of Lisbon Falls Christian Academy.
# # #

Hellen Willis Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth Group

Helen M. Willis has been named a vice president in the Payment Services Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Lewiston. She will continue to manage item processing, remittance processing and statement rendering in her role as section manager.

A resident of Lisbon, Willis joined Banknorth in 2002 and has 13 years in banking.
# # #


Elizabeth Perreault Promoted to Officer at Banknorth Group

Elizabeth C. Perreault has been named an officer in the Loan Operations Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. at the Bates Mill in Lewiston. As an application support analyst, she will continue to provide analytical and programming support for the commercial and consumer loan systems, and provide report writing functions and database management to various areas within her department.

Perreault joined Banknorth in 1990 and has 13 years in banking. She has previously served as a commercial workout supervisor, a commercial senior workout specialist and a loan set-up clerk. She is a graduate of the American Institute of Banking.

A Lewiston resident, Perreault volunteers with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Lewiston Auburn SPCA, March of Dimes and Big Brothers Big Sisters. She is a 1991 graduate of Lewiston High School.
# # #

Debra Bissonnette Promoted to Assistant Vice President at Banknorth Group

Debra J. Bissonnette has been promoted to an assistant vice president in the Electronic Banking Department at Banknorth Group. In her role as an accounting manager, she will continue to manage the Banknorth accounting and fraud/research units in Lewiston and the automated teller machine (ATM) support group in Springfield, Mass.

Bissonnette joined Banknorth in 2001 and has more than eight years in banking. She previously served as an officer at Banknorth and as an assistant branch manager for another bank in New England.

A Saco resident, Bissonnette is presently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University and also attended the University of Southern Maine in Portland. Originally from Biddeford, she is a 1975 graduate of Biddeford High School.
# # #

Michael Martin Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth Group




Michael J. Martin has been named a vice president at the Banknorth Mortgage Group in Portland. He will continue to oversee and facilitate residential mortgage originations throughout southern Maine.

A resident of Scarborough, Martin joined Banknorth in 1997 and has 26 years in banking. He has previously served as an assistant vice president and senior mortgage officer.

# # #

Thomas Gilman Promoted to Vice President at Banknorth




Thomas J. Gilman has been named a vice president in the Human Resources Department at Banknorth Group in Portland. A lead compensation analyst, he will continue to design and manage employee compensation programs.

Gilman joined Banknorth in 2001 and previously served as an assistant vice president and an officer. A Falmouth resident, he is a 1984 graduate of Columbia University in New York City.

# # #

Ann Burrill Promoted to Officer at Banknorth

Ann L. Burrill has been named an officer in the Corporate Education and Training Department at Banknorth Group in Falmouth. As a senior training specialist, she will continue to provide training to Banknorth staff, develop and design training programs, build internal client relationships and mentor employees.

Burrill joined Banknorth in 2000 and has 13 years in banking. She has previously served as an assistant branch manager and as a customer service representative.

A Westbrook resident, Burrill volunteers in a student training program at McAuley High School in Portland. She is a 1985 graduate of the University of Southern Maine and a 1978 graduate of Portland High School.
# # #

Thomas Crockett Promoted to Officer at Banknorth Group

Thomas W. Crockett has been named an officer in the Finance Department at Banknorth Group, Inc. in Portland. He will continue in his role as a staff accountant.

Crockett joined Banknorth in 2001. He is a member of the Maine Society of Certified Public Accountants.

A Portland resident, Crockett volunteers as a community investment panel member for United Way of Greater Portland and as treasurer for the First Baptist Church in Portland. He is a 1999 graduate of the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
# # #

Wendy Hesketh Promoted to Officer at Banknorth Group

Wendy J. Hesketh has been named an officer in the Loan Operations Department at Banknorth Group at the Bates Mill in Lewiston. As an application support analyst, she will continue to provide system support and upgrades and work on system conversions during mergers and acquisitions.

Hesketh joined Banknorth in 1993 and has 10 years in banking. She has previously served as a systems analyst and a loan research supervisor.

An Ellsworth resident, Hesketh serves as the treasurer of the Parents, Teachers and Friends organization at her daughter's school. A native of Auburn, she is a 1991 graduate of Edward Little High School.
# # #