INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Lt. Gov. Joseph Kernan yesterday awarded Monroe Bancorp, the locally owned and operated holding company of Monroe Bank, with the State of Indiana Century Business Award. The award honored the Bank's 100-plus years of "outstanding contributions to the economic growth and prosperity of Indiana." Monroe Bank's President and CEO, Mark Bradford, accepted the award from the Lt. Governor at a ceremony held yesterday at the Indiana Statehouse.

"Monroe County Bank has always taken its role as a community citizen very seriously," said Bradford, "and to be recognized for that, as well as for our longevity, is really wonderful."

Monroe Bank was founded in October 1892 and opened for business (as Monroe County State Bank) in January 1893. With initial capital stock of $25,000 in 1892, Monroe County Bank had grown by year-end 1999 to an asset size of $417 million and net income of $4.7 million. The community bank heritage is evident still today, as the Bank remains the leading residential mortgage lender in Monroe County. A public company since its inception, the ownership structure was changed to a bank holding company, Monroe Bancorp, in 1984. Monroe Bank offers a full range of financial, trust and investment services through fifteen banking centers located in Monroe, Lawrence and Jackson counties. The Bank serves more than 19,000 retail and commercial customers.