Press Releases

HOPEWELL VALLEY COMMUNITY BANK
PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Hopewell Township, NJ

HOPEWELL VALLEY COMMUNITY BANK GROWTH ACCELERATES
NEW BRANCH TO OPEN IN HOPEWELL CROSSING SHOPPING CENTER
LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICE TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER IN CRANBURY

Hopewell Township, NJ – August 31, 2004 – Hopewell Valley Community Bank (HVCBank) has announced the opening of its new full service County Line branch at the highly visible Route 31 and Route 518 intersection in Hopewell Township, effective August 16, 2004. The 4,000 square foot full service facility features extended hours, three drive-up windows, two 24 hour ATM’s and free coin counting service. The County Line office houses a new and improved full service branch facility as well as finance and branch administration, consumer lending, including residential mortgage services, and commercial and consumer construction services. The County Line branch relocates the Pennytown office. A grand opening celebration is being planned for October 23.

“We have had such strong growth in the last six years that we have literally grown out of our two original locations.” said James Hyman, President/CEO. “The new County Line office will help meet the demands created by that growth by providing additional space for operation staff as well as our expanded consumer and residential mortgage business. Beyond that, we are already seeing the benefits of the location from new customers visiting the bank from many of the Hunterdon County communities to the north and west.”

Hopewell Valley Community Bank (HVCBank) has also announced plans for its fourth branch following the signing of the lease for a free standing site in the new Hopewell Crossing Shopping Center which is currently under construction on Route 31 in the Brandon Farms area of Hopewell Township. The new 3,000 square foot branch is expected to open in the third quarter of 2005. The Hopewell Crossing branch will offer a full array of convenient services and it will feature a community room which will be available to local groups for meetings.

The Bank also said it is planning to open a loan production office in the Cranbury area in the early fall of 2004. The office will be headed by Huell (Ed) Alberty who is joining the Bank as a Vice President. According to Hyman, “the new office will provide increased lending opportunities to the growing number of businesses and households along the Route 130 corridor through Middlesex and Mercer Counties.”

When the Hopewell Crossing office is opened, HVC Bank will have three modern facilities along the busy route 31 corridor to serve the residents and businesses in the Hopewell Valley including the main office located just outside Pennington Borough. According to HVCBank Chairman Patrick L. Ryan: “When we organized the bank we made a commitment to serve the entire Hopewell Valley. The new Hopewell Crossing and County Line offices will fulfill our promise of making community banking convenient to everyone in the Valley.” The Bank also has a branch located on Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton, NJ.

HVCBank’s deposits continue to rise at a brisk clip growing over the past 18 months from $103,000,000 at year end 2002 to $133,000,000 at June 30 of this year. Net profits are also advanced with earnings for the first six months of 2004 totaling $537,558, a 64% increase over the $328,701 recorded in the comparable 2003 period.

Hopewell Valley Community Bank is a locally owned and managed full service, FDIC insured commercial bank. Founded in 1998, HVCB provides a friendly, personalized banking experience for residents and small business owners through its three branches in Mercer County and through its fully interactive website at www.hvcbonline.com.

For further information, please contact:
James Hyman, President & CEO
Hopewell Valley Community Bank
609 466-2900
www.hvcbonline.com
jhyman@hvcbonline.com