The Pineries Bank was established in 1997 in the central Wisconsin community of Stevens Point, Wis. The bank essentially was organized as a start up bank and has grown from its original asset size of $6 million to $53 million. The Pineries Bank focuses on serving a niche in the local community that is typical of many start up banks recently developed throughout the United States. Paul C. Adamski, President and founder of the bank, notes, "The bank prides itself on providing exceptional levels of personalized customer service, a warm and friendly atmosphere, and being 100% locally owned. We find our customers look forward to increasing the number of financial services we provide them as a result of the unique niche we fill in the marketplace. Our competitively priced financial services, combined with our staff knowing virtually all of our customers on a first name basis, have caused customers to regularly refer business to our bank." The bank's primary trade area consists of the greater Stevens Point, Wisconsin area, and to a lesser degree, the market surrounded by the bank's office in the village of Mattoon, one hour northeast of the home office. The Pineries Bank engages in general commercial and retail banking and offers a full range of loan and depository products. Personal banking services include checking, savings, ATM/Debit, certificate of deposit accounts, installment and personal loans, and mortgage loans. The Pineries Bank was established recognizing that the Central Wisconsin marketplace needs the services of a bank that makes decisions locally. "We are proud to have made $40 million dollars of loans in the local community, many of which would not have been made by large holding company banks who use formulas rather than knowledge of the marketplace to determine loan eligibility," Mr. Adamski said. The Pineries Bank implemented an Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) during the year 2004. This will help ensure the the bank's goal to be locally owned and operated will be fulfilled for many years to come.