MountainOne Financial, Mechanics Bancorp Receive Aprovals To Merge

10:44AM / Friday, December 12, 2025Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MountainOne Financial, MHC, the mutual holding company parent of MountainOne Bank, and Mechanics Bancorp, MHC, the mutual holding company parent of Mechanics Cooperative Bank, announced that all regulatory approvals required to complete the merger of the two mutual holding companies have been received.

The merger transaction is scheduled to take place on Jan. 1, 2026, at which time the newly combined mutual holding company will operate under the name MountainOne Financial, MHC, and will have approximately $1.9 billion in assets.

MountainOne Bank and Mechanics Cooperative Bank will continue to operate as two separate, independently chartered community banks, and will each retain their existing names, headquarters locations, leadership teams, and boards of directors. Furthermore, customers will not experience any disruption, nor do they need to take any action.

Bringing together two organizations allows the newly combined mutual holding company to take their time in evaluating opportunities to collaborate where doing so strengthens service, enhances operational efficiency, or supports long-term sustainability.

Upon completion of the merger, Robert J. Fraser will serve as Chairman and Joseph T. Baptista Jr. as President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined Mutual Holding Company, MountainOne Financial, MHC. Fraser will continue in his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of MountainOne Bank and Baptista will also remain as President and Chief Executive Officer of Mechanics Cooperative Bank. There are no staff reductions associated with the merger.

"This merger is a strong step for both organizations," said Robert J. Fraser. "It reflects shared priorities and a clear focus on bringing long-term value to our customers and community. We are proud of the work that brought us here and confident in the direction ahead. Our customers, employees, and communities remain at the center of our decisions."

"We are excited to move forward together," said Joseph T. Baptista Jr. "This merger positions us to grow, invest, and serve with even greater impact. Our teams are energized by our shared vision, and we are looking forward to the opportunities it creates for our customers and communities. MountainOne Financial, MHC will carry on each legacy organizations’ commitment to mutuality, which places its customers and communities at the center of organizational decision-making. MountainOne Bank and Mechanics Cooperative Bank each have deep roots in their respective communities and have prioritized an ongoing commitment to remain local, accessible, and engaged."

FinPro Capital Advisors, Inc. served as the financial advisor to MountainOne Financial, MHC and Piper Sandler & Co. served as the financial advisor to Mechanics Bancorp, MHC. Luse Gorman, PC served as legal counsel to MountainOne Financial, MHC and Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP served as legal counsel to Mechanics Bancorp, MHC.

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McCann Tech Deems Social Media Threat 'Not Credible' After Police Investigation

Staff Reports 09:19AM / Thursday, March 12, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School officials confirmed Thursday that a threatening social media post directed at the school was found to be a illagitaemt following an investigation by the North Adams Police Department (NAPD).

School administrators notified families that the NAPD determined the social media account responsible for the post was not legitimate and there is no credible threat to the campus.

"The post did contain threatening content to McCann Tech, but after investigation by NAPD it was found that the threat was NOT credible and that the social media account was NOT legitimate," the school stated in a message to the community.

While authorities have concluded that students and staff are not in any danger, McCann officials have requested an increased police presence at the school Thursday morning. The school emphasized that this measure is being taken out of an "extreme abundance of caution" to help students and families feel comfortable starting the day.

The NAPD is asking anyone with information regarding the origin of the post to contact the department directly.

Following the internal notification from McCann, North Adams Public Schools (NAPS) issued an "all-call" to its own district families Thursday morning.

"North Adams Public Schools will continue to operate using its standard safety procedures," the NAPS statement read, echoing the police department's conclusion that there is no active threat to local students.

McCann is part of the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical School District, not NAPS.

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