Rick Wyman to Turn Reins Over to Marcus Weeks

Throughout the past 21 years, Richard E. “Rick” Wyman’s contributions as a leader at MVSB (Meredith Village Savings Bank) and as a dedicated community champion in the Bank’s growing communities have been significant.

Wyman joined MVSB as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in August 2001 and assumed the role of President of MVSB on January 1, 2016. With more than 30 years of experience in senior leadership, Wyman had previously served as an Executive Officer and CFO for several Maine-based banks, ranging from local community mutual banks to a publicly traded multi-bank holding company.

When MVSB partnered with Merrimack County Savings Bank to form New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp (NHMB) in 2013, Rick served as its first Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was one of the initial architects of this alliance of mutual savings banks and has been essential in stewarding its success for nearly a decade. In this shared services model, NHMB now provides operational support for three premier independent mutual savings banks: Meredith Village Savings Bank, Merrimack County Savings Bank and Savings Bank of Walpole, and a financial advisory and trust company, NHTrust. The formation of NHMB was the first relationship of its kind in northern New England, allowing each company to share supporting functions and technology to create overall efficiencies and best in class solutions for customers – all while maintaining and enhancing their commitment and involvement in their communities.

In addition to the dedication to the Bank and its employees, Wyman has cared equally about the support of the Bank’s local communities. For the last six years, he has served as a key member of the MVSB Fund, providing grants annually to local nonprofits that make a significant impact upon the lives of people in the communities MVSB serves. He also personally reviewed requests from the community and has been keenly in tune to the evolving needs in our state, especially in the greater Lakes and Seacoast regions.

This insight was essential to him when New Hampshire Governor Christopher Sununu appointed him to the board of directors for the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA), an organization that provides financial resources to nonprofits, community development organizations, counties, municipalities and for-profit businesses. These organizations, in partnership with the CDFA, create affordable housing, aid in the formation of new jobs and help retain existing employment for low- and moderate-income residents of New Hampshire.

“I felt very privileged to have been selected to serve on the NH CDFA board,” said Wyman. “I enjoyed assisting the CDFA in their efforts to support affordable housing and economic development activities statewide.”

Under Wyman’s guidance and recommendation, sister banks, MVSB, Merrimack County Savings Bank and Savings Bank of Walpole were the first three banks to contribute to the New Hampshire Nonprofit Response Fund with a combined tax credit purchase. This fund provided nonprofit organizations with resources of up to $100,000 for working capital, equipment purchases and programming expenses, providing resources to qualifying community-based organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Wyman has also been an essential member of the banking community. In 2018, Wyman was elected to the board of directors for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBank Boston). Governed by a 17-person board, members are elected by FHLBank Boston member institutions for four-year terms. Together with its member institutions, the Federal Home Loan Bank System represents the largest collective source of home mortgage and community credit in the U.S. The System ensures that members provide stable, on-demand, low-cost funding to its communities through home mortgages and lending for small business as well as rural, agricultural and economic development.

Wyman also lead the Bank through the challenges of the pandemic and, in addition to his continued emphasis on support of the community, Wyman took great care to provide a safe banking environment for employees and customers. As such, MVSB maintained record growth and low employee turnover and was able to continue to provide exceptional banking service throughout. While many staff and their families were impacted, the efforts of management ensured employees continued to feel valued and appreciated.

During his career, MVSB grew four fold from $315 million in assets to $1.3 billion today, increased its footprint from the Lakes Region to the Seacoast Region and cemented its strength as a leading bank in our state. John Moulton, the Chair of the Board of Directors for MVSB, stated, “Under Rick’s tenure at MVSB, knowledgeable and prudent leadership has resulted in significant growth for the bank. His efforts have created a stronger bank for our company and our community and he will now be turning the presidency over at a high point in its history to Marcus. We’re thankful for all that Rick has done in bringing his management team forward to position MVSB for the future and we wish Rick all the best.”

NHMB President and CEO, Gregg Tewksbury echoed Moulton’s comment and added, “Rick has not only lead MVSB to become one of the strongest banks in NH but has been influential in helping lead all of our companies to higher and stronger levels.”

Other notable achievements during Wyman’s presidency include MVSB’s 150th celebration in 2017; allowing customers to do their banking at Merrimack and Savings Bank of Walpole branches and ATMs; and the addition of a micro-branch in Melvin Village and a new branch in Rochester (scheduled to open mid-June). MVSB has won several awards in this last six years including the Granite Award from the Granite United Way; an Outstanding Lender Award from NH Housing & Finance Authority; the Business Citizenship Award from the Greater Meredith Chamber of Commerce and several awards for employment, mortgage, customer service and overall banking from the Laconia Daily Sun’s “Best of the Lakes Region” program.

In addition to shepherding the success of MVSB and NHMB, Wyman has taken the same care as a dedicated mentor to many employees throughout the years and has taken great pride in creating opportunities and growth. His guidance and coaching has been essential to Marcus Weeks, Senior Vice President, Senior Retail Banking Officer, who has been appointed as his successor and will take over the role as MVSB President in the fall. Weeks was a clear choice of the Board with Wyman’s support and confidence in him. Wyman noted that Weeks is a known talent within the company, respected by all, and is well established in the community through his extensive volunteer commitments throughout his many years with the bank.

Weeks began his banking career in 1995 as a student-teller for MVSB’s Center Harbor Office, at just 16 years old. In his nearly 30 years with the Bank, he has served as a mortgage originator, business development officer, and branch manager for MVSB’s then-new Wolfeboro office – a wide range of experience that has helped him gain unique and broad perspective of the organization and the important role mutual banks play in the communities they serve. Since 2018, Marcus has successfully lead the branch and business development network as Senior Vice President & Senior Retail Banking Service Officer.

“Rick has provided me advice and guidance for nearly all of my career,” mentioned Weeks, “He’s helped me to develop into a stronger banker, and more inclusive and empathetic leader. I have enjoyed working very closely with him for the last six years and I am humbled to follow in his footsteps.”

For the past four years, Marcus has contributed at the senior management level of MVSB as an active member of leadership teams, both at MVSB and within the entire NHMB organization. He’s played a critical role in the current branch expansion efforts including the new location in Rochester. Having the largest number of employees reporting to him at MVSB, he’s been influential in creating an employee-first culture and is highly respected among his staff and peers in the company. Wyman noted, “Marcus is a natural leader and has both the experience and talent to lead MVSB to the next level. I’m excited for him and am confident that he will preserve all that our constituents value at our bank and be an incredible steward of this community asset for years to come.”

Weeks offered, “Rick has positioned MVSB well enough that I will be able to focus on the things that are really important, such as excellent service and products and being engaged in the communities we serve. I look forward to nurturing the existing markets currently being served by our bank while exploring growth opportunities in other areas. The future is exceptionally bright for us and I’m privileged to have the opportunity to lead it forward.”

As a long-term member of the MVSB community, Weeks has committed over two decades to service in the Lakes Region. He currently serves on the Boards of the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association, the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Hampshire and Geneva Point Center.

Weeks will assume the role of President on October 1, 2022 and Wyman will stay on in an advisory role to both Weeks and Tewksbury through the end of the year.