Carper Honors WSFS Bank Executive for Excellence in Community Investment as Delaware’s Blueprint Communities Convene to Chart Future Successes

Wilmington, DE – August 30, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE) today honored Michael D. Skipper, Vice President and Community Development Manager at WSFS Bank, for his lifetime commitment to community investment at a statewide meeting of neighborhood leaders.

Appearing before dozens of Blueprint Communities revitalization team members gathered at the University of Delaware to discuss the success they are making in improving their neighborhoods, Sen. Carper presented the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh’s (FHLBank) “Council’s Award” to Skipper. The award is presented annually to a single banker from Delaware, Pennsylvania or West Virginia in recognition of a lifetime of steadfast commitment to affordable housing and community and economic development. The award is named after FHLBank’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council.

Working with the University of Delaware and other in-state partners, FHLBank expanded Blueprint Communities to the First State in 2008 following its introduction in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The initiative helps smaller, older communities get their second wind through a comprehensive program of leadership training, community collaboration, strategic planning and funding opportunities. Skipper provides ongoing planning support to the community renewal initiative as a member of the Blueprint Communities Advisory Committee.

“It is my distinct pleasure to present Mike Skipper with this prestigious award on behalf of FHLBank, these Blueprint Communities teams, and the citizens of our state who are benefiting from this initiative and Mike’s work,” said Senator Carper. “Building communities is always challenging, but particularly so during trying economic times when funding is limited and nonprofit resources are strained. That is why the role of WSFS Bank, Mike Skipper, FHLBank, the University of Delaware and the other partners who comprise the Blueprint Communities initiative is so important.”

“FHLBank is pleased to select Michael Skipper as the recipient of our Council’s Award not only for his leadership role with Blueprint Communities, but also for his unswerving commitment to the sustainable development of many Delaware communities,” said Paul F. Calistro Jr., executive director of West End Neighborhood House, Inc. of Wilmington and a member of the Bank’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council. “Mike Skipper is one of the true leaders in the field of affordable housing and community investment. It is a genuine pleasure partnering with him and WSFS Bank on so many projects of significance to our communities.”

“Mike is a true pillar of the community, both in his many roles at WSFS as well as his involvement in activities outside the office.  We are so very honored to have Mike represent WSFS and for his passion to help build and grow stronger communities,” said Mark A. Turner, WSFS Bank President and Chief Executive Officer.

Other civic activities

In addition to serving as Community Development Manager at WSFS Bank, Skipper also functions as the bank’s Community Relations Director. He serves as a liaison for the Bank’s small business clients – the engines of neighborhood growth – and has participated in a strategic review of FHLBank’s Banking On Business (BOB) program, which helps start-up and growing enterprises constrained by equity or cash flow qualify for flexible financing, making them bankable when they otherwise would not have qualified for a loan. WSFS Bank is a leader of the BOB program in Delaware.

Elsewhere in the community, Skipper volunteers his time supporting initiatives critical to the future of community development, taking active roles on a number of committees and teams working with various levels of government to set policy and optimize community funding.

About the banks

WSFS Financial Corporation is a $3.8 billion financial services company. Its primary subsidiary, Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB (WSFS Bank), operates 40 banking offices located in Delaware (35), Pennsylvania (4) and Virginia (1). WSFS Bank provides comprehensive financial services including commercial banking, retail banking and trust and wealth management. Other subsidiaries include WSFS Investment Group, Inc. and Montchanin Capital Management, Inc. Founded in 1832, WSFS is one of the ten oldest banks in the United States continuously operating under the same name. For more information, please visit the Bank’s website at www.wsfsbank.com.

FHLBank Pittsburgh provides a steady stream of low-cost liquidity to local lenders in support of housing finance and community and economic development. FHLBank, a government-sponsored enterprise created by Congress, is a private cooperative of banks across Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia that is privately funded and  does not use taxpayer dollars. At June 30, 2010, the Bank had 316 members in its cooperative and approximately $61 billion in assets.

Contact:
Emily Cunningham, Office of U.S. Senator Thomas Carper, 302-573-6460, cell: 302-598-4915; Emily.cunningham (at) carper.senate (dot) gov

Neil Cotiaux, FHLBank, 412-335-9488; Neil.cotiaux (at) fhlb-pgh (dot) com

Stephanie Heist, WSFS Bank, 302-571-5259; sheist (at) wsfsbank (dot) com