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2004 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cyla Alcantara, 412-288-2860, cyla.alcantara@fhlb-pgh.com

MARS NATIONAL BANK, ESB BANK'S ROBERT COLALELLA HONORED AT FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF PITTSBURGH'S PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY AWARDS

PITTSBURGH, PA, June 14, 2004 — The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh's Pillars of the Community awards honor financial institutions for outstanding work in creating housing for lower-income families and promoting community revitalization and economic development throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

At the second of four regional conferences held in June, the FHLBank of Pittsburgh honored Mars National Bank of Mars, PA.

"Financial institutions honored as Pillars of the Community understand that affordable housing and community development are central to creating sustainable and livable communities," said John J. Bendel, director of Community Investment of the FHLBank of Pittsburgh. "Mars National Bank has put our program dollars to work in ways that will benefit Pennsylvania communities far into the future. We're privileged to honor them today."

In honor of this award to Mars National Bank, the FHLBank of Pittsburgh is presenting a check for $1,000 to Hosanna Industries, Inc. of Rochester, PA.

The FHLBank also presented a special Affordable Housing Advisory Council's Award to Robert J. Colalella, senior vice president and CRA officer of ESB Bank, Ellwood City, PA. This special award is presented to individuals for outstanding long-term commitment and career leadership in promoting and creating affordable housing and community development.

Mars National Bank has been serving western Pennsylvania since 1900, providing customers with "Service Out of This World." Independently owned and operated, with five offices across three counties, Mars National has always been community focused and invests resources within the neighborhoods it serves.

Mars National Bank has used the FHLBank's Affordable Housing Program to great advantage. Since the AHP's inception in 1990, Mars has administered 15 projects using more than $2 million in AHP funding. Mars National employees are also very active in the local community. Employees volunteer for nonprofit organizations and routinely speak to high school classes and Girl Scout troops on banking issues or future careers in banking. Executives and officers of the bank are active on nonprofit boards such as the Mars Area Redevelopment Commission, raising funds for the renewal of downtown Mars, including sidewalks, curbs, lampposts, benches and trees.

Pillars of the Community award recipients are selected from all financial institution members of the FHLBank of Pittsburgh that have used the FHLBank's community investment products in the previous calendar year. Winners are selected by an FHLBank committee and are approved by the Affordable Housing Committee of the FHLBank's Board of Directors.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, with assets of more than
$57 billion, serves nearly 350 financial institution members in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and is part of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. It is one of twelve FHLBanks, all private cooperatively owned banks that provide wholesale housing finance, community lending and correspondent banking services to member banks, savings institutions, credit unions and insurance companies.

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