THERE IS NO SECRET TO LEADERSHIP. IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT MOVING TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.

At Howard Bank, we started down this path with a singular mission to significantly contribute to the well-being of Howard County and the people who live and work here. From the beginning, we have been steadfast in our belief that a healthy community provides a foundation that makes anything possible. Fulfilling our promise to make a difference is about one thing: Leadership. It’s about standing up, raising our hand, moving to the front of the line, and not merely saying we’ll do something, but actually doing it. So how does our first report card look? Here’s a summary.

The Howard Bank Community Enrichment Program.

This is the umbrella under which we manage our various community programs. While we think it’s a pretty good name, its real purpose is to keep us centered on the work we need to do. Through the course of our first year of operation, that work has taken on many different looks, everything from hands-on volunteer service to literally putting our dollars where our mouth is.

The Renaissance Loan Fund.

This loan funds projects and developments in mature areas throughout our county, including parts of Route 40 and several of Columbia’s villages. Both are significant. We are the first bank to extend revitalization to Route 40 and the only bank to include villages in Columbia. The fund also encompasses projects on Route 1. The bottom line? A total of $15 million earmarked for specified projects in the designated areas.

The Public Servant Loan Program.

The rising cost of housing in Howard County has made it difficult for some of our most important citizens to buy homes. We’d like to fix that. The purpose of this program is to facilitate the first time purchase of a Howard County home by professionals serving the community. Teachers, police officers, firefighters, hospital professionals and other county workers. It’s the only loan program of its kind in the county and we’re extremely proud to offer it to these local heroes.

Sponsorships.

Some have called us a soft touch. We prefer to think of it as putting our resources where they’re most going to make a difference. The Arc of Howard County, Jim Rouse Entrepreneurial Fund, Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource and Image Center, Howard County American Heart Association, Howard County Hospice, Leadership Howard County, The United Way, The Columbia Foundation, Business Women’s Network, YMCA Youth in Government, and various youth athletic sponsorships make up just a partial list.

On Campus.

We are the sole sponsor of Howard Community College’s “On Campus” series. It’s a series of lectures, cultural affairs, art, music, theatre, and other programs that is available to people of all ages on the campus of Howard Community College. Very cool stuff.

Our Involvement On Boards and Committees.

Giving your time is often the ultimate expression of commitment. To that end, we’re almost obsessive. It is a requirement of our officers to serve on the boards of not-for-profit agencies in our county. Let’s just say we don’t keep it to one each. Today, we are actively involved in more than 25 different organizations including the Howard Community College Foundation, Howard Chamber of Commerce, The Columbia Foundation, Columbia Festival of the Arts, Business Women’s Network, Women’s Giving Circle, Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland, Howard County YMCA, Howard County Tourism, multiple Rotary clubs, and Howard County Economic Development Authority.

What We Do In Our Day Jobs.

Then there’s what we do for a living. The majority of our impact in this community comes as a result of our core business – banking that is focused on the needs of Howard County and its business owners, employees, professionals and citizens. To date, we have had the privilege of contributing to the success of hundreds of small businesses. Our growth is tied to their growth. And it’s all tied to this community. Our reach has already extended to thousands of individual customers throughout the county. Finally, we have strived to take the lead in consumer banking by offering our customers leading edge products and services. We broke new ground in the county with our ATM rebate program and by being out there with great rates on checking accounts, Money Market accounts and CDs.

We look forward to the future. We look forward to having the opportunity to help you get where you want to go. In late summer 2006, we will open our Maple Lawn branch at Johns Hopkins Road and Old Columbia Road, and in Spring 2007, our Centennial Crossing branch will open at the intersections of Route 40, Frederick Rd., and Centennial Lane. Most importantly, you can be sure that, as Howard County’s only locally owned, locally focused bank, we’ll continue to step up every chance we get.