Berkshire Benchmarks Releases State of the County Update

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Benchmarks data team recently released a State of the County Update for 2023. 
 
This brief report builds on the Berkshire Benchmarks State of the County Report published in May 2022 and highlights notable changes in regional indicators over the past year. The berkshirebenchmarks.org website has also been updated to reflect the most current available data. 
 
The purpose of the Benchmarks initiative and report is to highlight the region's successes and challenges.
 
The 2022 Berkshire Benchmarks State of the County report provided a comprehensive overview of our region's performance across eight sectors: Economy, Education, Environment, Government, Health, Housing, Social Environment, and Transportation.  
 
In the future, the Berkshire Benchmarks team will continue to monitor these and other indicators to aid with the regional understanding of changes in these sectors and whether the work happening throughout the region is having the intended impact. 
 
Berkshire Benchmarks is a collaborative initiative managed through Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC). Our sources are publicly available data, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, various Massachusetts data sets, and periodic surveys of Berkshire County residents. 
 
Berkshire Benchmarks aims to work with the community to understand priorities and help inform the region on how we are doing and if we are improving. Berkshire Benchmarks enhances the region's access to quality data and analysis. 

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Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Officially Become Trailmark Bank

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the successful legal closing of their merger, marking a milestone in the formation of Trailmark Bank. 

The merger officially took effect on Nov. 1, 2026, bringing the two longstanding community banks together as one financial institution under the Trailmark Bank name.

The legal closing follows receipt of all required regulatory and governance approvals, including approvals from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Massachusetts Division of Banks.

"Today marks an exciting new chapter for our employees, customers and communities," said Julie Fallon Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Trailmark Bank. "Trailmark Bank brings together two community banks with deep roots in the Berkshires, shared values and a longstanding commitment to the people and communities we serve. We are proud of what each bank brings to this partnership and excited about what we can accomplish together."

Trailmark Bank is an independent, community-focused bank with approximately $1.5 billion in assets, nearly 200 employees and full-service banking locations across Berkshire County. The merger combines the resources, expertise, and capabilities of two established community banks while preserving the personalized service, strong relationships and local decision-making customers have long valued, stated a press release.

Beginning Nov. 1, Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank will operate as divisions of Trailmark Bank. The combined bank will officially open for business as Trailmark Bank on Monday, Dec. 7, with customers gaining access to all branch locations across Berkshire County.

Until then, customers should continue banking as usual through their existing Adams Community Bank or Pittsfield Cooperative Bank locations and systems, using their current checks, debit and ATM cards, online and mobile banking, and other banking services. Late fall, customers will receive detailed information outlining important dates, what to expect and any actions they may need to take.

"The legal merger is an important milestone, but it is also another step in a carefully planned transition," said Gregg Levante, President of Trailmark Bank. "Our focus throughout this process has been making the transition as smooth as possible for our customers while building a stronger community bank for the future. Trailmark Bank gives us greater resources and capabilities while preserving something that matters tremendously to us—the ability to make decisions locally and remain deeply connected to the Berkshires."

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