Rebecca Lougee, Senior Vice President and Marketing Officer at Merrimack County Savings has announced her retirement effective August 28th. Lougee recently celebrated 21 years leading The Merrimack’s marketing, branding, public relations and communications, helping to usher the Merrimack through extensive growth, new products and services and the formation of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp.
“Becky’s eye for detail, keen analytical skills, inquisitive mind and creative sense has served us well over the years. Her excellent work is evident in the Bank’s reception and success in both the marketplace and communities we serve,” said Paul Rizzi. “We’ve been very fortunate to have Becky on our Senior Management Team.” Lougee served the bank as it grew from a single location with one ATM to 8 full service branches, worldwide ATM access, and online banking. In that time the Bank’s assets have grown from $175 million to over $700 million. She nurtured the brand, Merrimack Style, referring to the Merrimack’s special way of delivering its products and services as well as the bank’s commitment to superior customer service and community involvement. She was a member of the team that introduced New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp in 2013 for the two banks and the eventual addition in 2015 of MillRiver Wealth Management.
Lougee received her BA from Lake Forest College and MBA from Boston University. She attended the ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management and is a Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP). Her banking career spans 31 years including nine at BayBanks in Massachusetts as a product and marketing manager. She serves on the board of trustees of the Gordon-Nash Library, the board of corporators of Canterbury Shaker Village, and is past board member of Concord Community Music School and Main Street Concord. She has been an active participant with the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and Granite United Way.
Cynthia A. Hemeon-Plessner has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Marketing at New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp. In this role she will be responsible for marketing at the holding company and its three subsidiaries, Meredith Village Savings Bank, Merrimack County Savings Bank, and MillRiver Wealth Management.
“Cindy’s commitment to the organization’s values coupled with her outstanding work ethic and enthusiasm, make her the perfect person to help build and expand the brands at the holding company and its three subsidiaries.” said Sam Laverack, President and Chief Executive Officer for Meredith Village Savings Bank and co-President and CEO of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp. “She has become an invaluable member of the Senior Management team and we are excited to promote her to this new leadership level.”
Hemeon-Plessner joined MVSB as Electronic Marketing Coordinator in December 2006, bringing more than 12 years of sales and marketing experience. She was instrumental in the launch of the Bank’s website and was promoted to Special Projects Coordinator in January 2008. She was promoted to Marketing Officer in November 2008, Assistant Vice President in October of 2009, Vice President in August 2010 and Senior Vice President in 2014.
A native of Laconia, Hemeon-Plessner is a member of the board of directors of the Children’s Auction of the Greater Lakes Region, Gilford Parents of Performing Students, the advisory board at Prescott Farm Environmental Center and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Lakes Region, a St Paul’s School Advanced Studies Program Alumni Interviewer, and is Treasurer and Past-President of the Board of Directors for Lakes Region Child Care Services. She is 2009 alumni of Leadership Lakes Region, and has volunteered with many local non-profits in recent years including the Laconia Endowment Education Foundation (LEEF), the PTA’s at Woodland Heights School, many local school districts, Lakes Region United Way, Parents and Children Together (PACT), and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Hemeon-Plessner was a member of the 2010-2011 Deluxe Collaborative, which is made up of financial services executives with the vision to explore topics critical to banking. She graduated from the George Washington University, holds a graduate degree in education from Franklin Pearce College and is an alumnus of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and The Wharton School Aresty Institute of Executive Education Leadership Program.
About New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp
New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp was formed in 2013 when The Merrimack and Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB) formally allied under a mutual holding company – the first relationship of its kind in New Hampshire. While both banks were strong performers, the partnership allows them to advance their shared vision of maintaining and enhancing their community banking standards and values in an industry of increasing regulatory costs and challenges. This growing relationship has made way for the Banks to expand their service areas, increase lending capacity, mitigate growing regulatory and technology costs and offer more career opportunities to their employee base. NHMB was chosen as Business NH Magazine’s 2015 Business of the Year for the Financial Services category. On April 1st of this year MillRiver Wealth Management officially joined as a third subsidiary of New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp. MillRiver combines the financial advisory divisions of The Merrimack and MVSB. The official formation of this new subsidiary also expanded the delivery of Merrimack’s proprietary investment management and trust services to MVSB. New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp’s combined assets total nearly $1.5 billion.
