PENNSTAR BANK HIRES MAHLSTEDT AS COMMERCIAL BANKING RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

SCRANTON, PA (NOVEMBER 23, 2009) – Pennstar Bank President and Chief Executive Officer David Raven announced that Brian Mahlstedt has joined the bank as vice president and commercial banking relationship manager. In this position, Mahlstedt is responsible for developing and managing business relationships with the bank’s commercial customers in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. He is based at the bank’s headquarters in Scranton.

Mahlstedt has more than 20 years of banking experience. Before joining Pennstar Bank, he was a commercial loan officer for First National Community Bank in Dunmore, where he worked for nine years. In this role, he assisted area businesses with their financial and lending needs.

“We are happy to have Brian Mahlstedt at Pennstar Bank,” Raven said. “His knowledge of commercial banking will help our business customers manage their resources in the most effective way.”

Mahlstedt, a resident of South Abington Township, has a bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University and has completed numerous banking industry courses. He is a board member of the Deutsch Institute and is a volunteer for the Abington Youth Basketball League.

Pennstar Bank provides personal banking, asset management and business services. The independent community bank, headquartered in Scranton, Pa., has 38 offices in six northeastern Pennsylvania counties. Norwich, N.Y.-based NBT Bancorp Inc., the parent company of Pennstar Bank, had assets of $5.5 billion as of September 30, 2009.