Hope, New Jersey
Newburyport, Massachusetts
September 6, 2005

First Hope Bank, independently owned and family operated since 1911, and Private Trust Group of America, owned and operated by employees with over 100 years of trust operations and administration experience, have formed a new alliance to provide Registered Investment Advisors, Financial Planners, Private Trustees, Attorneys, Accountants and other wealth management professionals with ADVISOR FRIENDLY INSTITUTIONAL TRUST SERVICES, including DATA AGGREGATION AND PRIVATE LABEL administrative and operational support.

First Hope Bank provides wealth management professionals with the services of an OCC regulated institutional trustee without disrupting existing investment management relationships. Private Trust Group of America facilitates First Hope Bank’s ability to offer Advisor Friendly Institutional Trust Services by providing data aggregation services that replicate daily transactions and asset positions with each separate custodian. The combined services result in an efficient solution for wealth management professionals seeking the services and safety of a regulated, institutional trustee that does not directly manage assets.

"Ownership and management of our respective organizations understand the special relationships that exist between advisors and their clients. With proven stability and demonstrated excellence, FHB and PTG provide a safe, secure and reliable resource that enhances the value of our advisor partners’ services and strengthens those important client relationships," said Sandi Lotito, Private Trust Group of America’s founder. "The wealth management profession is continually looking for ways to better serve its clients, and we are fortunate to have a partner like First Hope Bank who understands the need to provide innovative solutions. We were impressed with First Hope Bank’s ability to think outside the box."

Commenting on Private Trust Group of America’s ability to provide key administrative and operational support to First Hope Bank’s trust division, Ed Walker, Senior Vice President & Senior Trust Officer, said "Private Trust Group of America has demonstrated a strong commitment to not only support our core trust department activities, but to assist with expanding our traditional trust services in non-traditional ways. We could not have undertaken such an ambitious new business line without their ability to merge various technologies into a seamless solution that preserves existing investment management relationships, provides regulated institutional trustee oversight and protects the integrity of clients’ data and information."

About First Hope Bank
First Hope Bank was founded in 1911 as a federally chartered, OCC regulated national bank. The Bank has flourished as an independently owned and operated community bank under the leadership of three generations of the Beatty family. With six branch offices located in northwestern New Jersey, FHB’s main office is still located where it all began — in the idyllic town of Hope, New Jersey. Throughout its history, FHB has been guided by the principles of its founders and has steadily grown under the careful stewardship of those who followed in their footsteps.