Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
AWARDED — Katahdin Trust Company was named the Business of the Year at Saturday night’s annual Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce gala. From left are Jane Torres, chamber executive director; John Prescott, Katahdin Trust CEO and president; and Ben Adams, chamber president.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Saturday night at the annual Houlton Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Gala Event at the Elks Lodge, Katahdin Trust Company was named the Business of the Year.
“We received a wonderful testimony from a grateful customer of the bank,” said Ben Adams, president of the chamber board of directors.
Since 1918, Katahdin Trust Company has defined community banking for families and businesses of the region. Katahdin Trust Company has more than 17 locations across central and northern Maine, along with operating a commercial loan office in Scarborough.
Yet, the heart of its operations is in the Shiretown, with an administrative and operations center on 20 Katahdin Lane, adjacent to Tim Hortons.
“Thank you to the chamber for allowing us to receive this award tonight,” said Jon Prescott, president and CEO of Katahdin Trust Company. “Houlton has been a great partnership for Katahdin Trust Company, as we have a third of our employees here. It’s a great work force, a great place to do business and it really has become our home. Again, it’s an honor to receive this award.”
Katahdin Trust Company opened a branch office in Houlton, May of 1987.
“Due to its unique brand of its relationship-based and service-driven banking, the bank grew rapidly, forcing it to begin construction of a free-standing operations center in Houlton in 1996,” read Adams from Dick York’s nomination.
Opening in May of 1997, the 2,200 square foot facility employed 20 people in a support role to the bank’s daily endeavors. Since that date, the bank has sustained growth from seven branches to 17 branches today.
To accommodate the growth, Katahdin Trust Company has expanded its Houlton operations center three times, most recently in 2012. The original facility is now more than 18,000 square feet and home to 46 employees representing administration, operations, accounting, human resources, marketing and credit control.
These 46 employees, 18 in the Houlton branch office on North Street represent one third of the bank’s 191 staff members.
When Katahdin Trust Company opens its doors to the public, it does so with all of its employees sharing a common thread of commitment to customer service.
“In this day and age, many companies pledge service, but deliver very little,” continued Adams. “But, with Katahdin Trust Company, it is a cooperate way of life that sits at the very foundation of the bank’s success.”
The bank’s mission statement sums up their commitment, “We are committed to providing quality financial service by giving each and every customer courteous, personal and professional attention. Our employees will be well trained, knowledgeable and motivated at all times to fulfill our customers’ fininacial needs.”
