Media Contact:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

For Immediate Release

Sue Markgraf

GreenMark Public Relations                                                     

847-970-9160, office

847-917-9654, mobile

smarkgraf (at) greenmarkpr.com

GreenChoice  Bank  Opens the Midwest's First

LEED Platinum Community  Bank  Location on Aug. 29

Flagship Address at Chicago's  Green  Exchange Building

CHICAGO (Aug. 2, 2011) --  GreenChoice  Bank 's executive management team will open its flagship location in Chicago at the Green  Exchange building, 2545 W. Diversey Ave., on Monday, Aug. 29. The  bank  is anticipated to be the first LEED Platinum community  bank  location in the Midwest, and one of only a few in the country.

The newly constructed location will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standards for Commercial Interiors. The  bank 's management team -- half are LEED Accredited Professionals -- has considerable experience when it comes to building sustainable structures and interiors.

In addition to making loans to qualified businesses that build sustainably, the team retrofitted GreenChoice  Bank 's two, century-old branch locations to environmentally-sound standards for LEED - for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EB: O&M) certification. Those were dedicated earlier this year, launching the GreenChoice  Bank  brand in Cicero and Lockport, Ill.

GreenChoice  Bank  is one of the first tenants to move into Green  Exchange. The four-story, 272,000-square-foot converted historic building marked by its iconic signature tower along Chicago's Kennedy Expressway -- will be the epicenter of businesses offering trade and consumer services to sustainably-minded clientele. GreenChoice  Bank 's entrance is along Diversey Avenue, just west of Maplewood.

            "GreenChoice  Bank 's  Green  Exchange location is yet another example of our commitment to, and expertise in, operating in  green -built locations," said Steve Sherman, LEED AP, GreenChoice  Bank 's chief operating officer and director. "We believe in working in more sustainably-built buildings that are healthier places to do business, and that have a lower impact on the environment. Our track record shows that it can be done, regardless of whether you build a location from scratch or re-engineer an existing building. That gives us unique experience when understanding the challenges that other businesses and individuals may be going through to conduct business sustainably. "

As part of its mission, GreenChoice  Bank , a certified B Corporation, leverages funds on deposit to invest in the local and sustainable economy. Special checking and savings accounts with higher rates are designed for those actively embracing sustainability through their account activity. Advantaged terms are offered to commercial clients that manage  green  businesses, build sustainably and create  green  collar jobs.

            The footprint of the  bank 's new flagship facility is purposefully small, at only 3,800 square feet. Unique features resemble GreenChoice  Bank 's existing branch location interiors. These include reclaimed wood for key design elements of the space, re-used and repurposed materials, non-VOC paints, high-efficiency lighting, and locally-sourced recycled content materials in countertops, wall systems and flooring. Signage alerts customers to sustainable features throughout the  bank .

Back-office operations conserve energy and reduce the bank 's environmental footprint through paperless processes, electronic document distribution, image-based check processing, online banking and e-statements. Debit cards are made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Employee policies encourage sustainable choices, from using public transportation and volunteering in the community to rewarding those who purchase hybrid or other Low Emission Fuel Efficient vehicles.

            GreenChoice  Bank  is the first community  bank  of its kind in the Midwest, implementing core values designed to enhance the environmental, social and financial well-being of our communities and the planet. In addition to its flagship Chicago location, GreenChoice  Bank 's branches are at 5225 W. 25th St. in Cicero, Ill., and 838 S. State St. in Lockport, Ill.

For more information about GreenChoice  Bank , including online banking opportunities and incentives for consumers and businesses making sustainable choices, please visitwww.greenchoicebank.com.

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GreenChoice  Bank  is one of the only community banks in the country and the first in the Midwest that offers a values-based choice in banking to consumers and businesses. GreenChoice  Bank  implements core values that are designed to enhance the environmental, social and financial well-being of our communities and the planet. Conscious about more than your money, GreenChoice  Bank  marries sustainable business principles with a relationship-driven approach to provide financial products and services to individuals and businesses. GreenChoice  Bank  is located in Chicago at the  Green  Exchange building. Branch facilities are located in Cicero and Lockport, Ill. For information about GreenChoice  Bank 's products and services, please visitwww.greenchoicebank.com.

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