Berkshire Bank Celebrates National Small Business Week

Awards $22,000 in Grants to Support to Small Businesses

PITTSFIELD, MA, May 1, 2017 - Berkshire Bank, America's Most Exciting Bank®, is excited to announce that the Berkshire Bank Foundation will support National Small Business Week by awarding $22,000 in grants to support Small Business Development Centers, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapters and local entrepreneurial assistance centers throughout the Bank's footprint.

As part of this acknowledgement, business banking officers will host events on various days from May 1-10, at different Berkshire Bank locations.

The events will honor local SCORE chapters, Small Business Development Centers and local entrepreneurial support centers, each receiving a grant ranging from $1,000 to $2,500, in recognition of their commitment to supporting and assisting local small businesses. This occasion allows Berkshire Bank to play an integral role in the economic development of the communities it serves.

"Small businesses are the engine of economic prosperity," said Peter Rice, SVP, Small Business Operations. "Small businesses create jobs, transform communities, and stimulate economic growth. We couldn't be more proud to celebrate and honor our state's small businesses for their hard work and success. "We applaud these organizations that are providing essential support to not only sustain small businesses, but help them thrive."

The Small Business Development Centers being recognized include:

• Syracuse SCORE (Syracuse, NY)
• Berkshire Regional SBDC (Pittsfield, MA)
• Western MA Small Business Development Center (Springfield, MA)
• Onondaga Small Business Development Center (Syracuse, NY)
• University at Albany SBDC (Albany, NY)
• Small Business Development Center Mohawk Valley SUNY Polytechnic Institute (Utica, NY)
• Vermont Small Business Development Center (Rutland, VT)
• Small Business Development Center- The College of New Jersey (Ewing Township, NJ)

SCORE Chapters being honored include:

• Boston SCORE (Boston, MA)
• Western Massachusetts SCORE (Springfield, MA)
• Worcester SCORE (Worcester, MA)
• Northeast NY SCORE
• Syracuse (NY) SCORE (Syracuse, NY)
• Utica (NY) SCORE (Utica (NY)
• Greater Hartford SCORE (Hartford, CT)

The additional assistance centers being honored include:

• Center for Women and Enterprise (Boston, MA)
• University of St. Joseph – Veteran Jumpstart Program (Philadelphia, PA)
• UCONN Foundation - EBV Veterans Business Program (Hartford, CT)
• Community Capital of Vermont - Business Advisory Services Program (Barre, VT)
• Rutland Economic Development Corporation (Rutland, VT)

About Berkshire Bank

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Berkshire Hills Bancorp is the parent of Berkshire Bank, America's Most Exciting Bank®. The Company, recognized for its entrepreneurial approach and distinctive culture, has $9.2 billion in assets and 97 full service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey and Pennsylvania providing a network of financial services including personal and business banking, insurance, and wealth management services. The company believes life is exciting, and we are driven to exist at the critical moments in our customers' life. Through providing our customers big bank resources with small bank attention, we help turn what is exciting to them into reality. Berkshire Bank is the official bank of NESN's Boston Bruins coverage and the community partner of Boston Seasons at City Hall Plaza. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com, call 800-773-5601 or follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Berkshire Bank Foundation

Through foundation grants to nonprofits, scholarships to students, environmental programs, and employee volunteerism, Berkshire Bank is making a difference. Each year the Foundation donates $2 million to nonprofits throughout the Bank's footprint and 100% of bank employees provide over 40,000 hours of service through their XTEAM® corporate volunteer program. Berkshire Bank was named one of Massachusetts' Most Charitable Companies by the Boston Business Journal in 2016. To learn more about Berkshire Bank Foundation, visit www.berkshirebank.com/community.