Message From The President

Message from President Walter Healy

February 14, 2009 --- Since I last wrote you it is fair to say the banking industry has experienced even more turmoil, but I am happy to report that we have continued to thrive despite the turmoil.

There has been a lot of recent media coverage regarding problems in the banking industry. Declining real estate values have placed a great amount of stress on the national economy, and many of the problems we are currently experiencing are the result of aggressive lending by a limited number of banks. However, Community Bank has exercised great discipline in our mortgage business and we have maintained exceptional loan quality. Our diligent underwriting standards have allowed us to absorb the downturn. To that end, the Bank, as defined by the FDIC, is well capitalized, the highest rating a bank can achieve. In addition, despite the current environment, the Bank continues to post strong earnings. So the next time someone inquires about the health of your bank, you can respond Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest is well capitalized and remains a very profitable institution.

There is no doubt these are very difficult times and that the economy has presented challenges for not just the banking industry, but for most industries. Where there are challenges there are also opportunities. To that end, we are looking forward to opening two new branches, one on Roosevelt Road in Oak Park and the other on Lake Street in River Forest . We anticipate opening these branches in the first quarter 2010, and I will certainly keep you updated on our progress.

In the meantime, if you are in the Bank, please come by to say hello, or give me a call at 708.660.7005 if you have any questions. Again, thank you for your continued support of Community Bank.