Interview Advisory - Banknorth Chairman, President and CEO William Ryan To Ring The Opening Bell at the NYSE

What:
Executives and guests of Banknorth Group will visit the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, November 4, 2002 to celebrate the company's transfer from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange.

In honor of this special occasion, Chairman, President and CEO William Ryan will ring The Opening Bell.

Banknorth Group, Inc. (NYSE: BNK)
Banknorth Group, Inc., headquartered in Portland, Maine, is one of the country's 35 largest commercial banking companies with $22.5 billion in assets. The Company has experienced record earnings for eight consecutive years and expects to have its ninth record earnings year in 2002.

The Company's banking subsidiary, Banknorth, N.A. operates banking subsidiaries in all the New England states except Rhode Island and in upstate New York, with more than 350 branches and nearly 500 ATMs in six states, including Maine (Peoples Heritage Bank), New Hampshire (Bank of New Hampshire), Massachusetts (Banknorth Massachusetts), Connecticut (Banknorth Connecticut), Vermont (Banknorth Vermont), and upstate New York (Evergreen Bank). The Company also operates subsidiaries and divisions in insurance, investment planning, money management, leasing, merchant services, mortgage banking, government banking and other financial services.

Interviews:
Chairman, President and CEO William Ryan will be available for interviews on Monday, November 4th
from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. and from 10:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Contact:
If you are interested in arranging an interview, please contact Danielle Martinez at 212-656-2268.

William J. Ryan
William J. Ryan has served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Banknorth Group, Inc., headquartered in Portland, Maine, and its predecessor company, Peoples Heritage Financial Group, since 1990. Banknorth is a $22.5 billion banking and financial services holding company. The Company operates in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York.

Mr. Ryan has a quarter century of banking experience, joining Banknorth in 1989. Prior to joining Banknorth, he served as President of the Bank of New England North in Lowell, Massachusetts, and as Executive Vice President of Community Banking for the Bank of New England in Boston. Earlier in his career, he was President of BNE Baystate, a commercial bank subsidiary of the Bank of New England, and a Vice President of the Bank of New England. Mr. Ryan began his banking career with Essexbank in Peabody, Massachusetts, where he held numerous senior management positions of increasing responsibility.

Mr. Ryan serves as a Trustee of Colby College; Director, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Director, Maine Machine Products Company; Trustee of Libra Foundation; Member, Central Maine Power Advisory Board; Member, Board of Advisors, University of New England; Member, University of Maine Corporate Partners; and participates in other civic and professional activities.

Mr. Ryan is a graduate of St. Francis College in New York and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.


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