MERB Merrill Merchants Banc (MM)

Edwin N. Clift, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Merrill Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq: MERB), the parent company of Merrill Bank, announced today that the bank has been recognized as the Top Lender in Maine by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Charles Summers, Jr., New England Regional Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and Mary McAleney, District Director of the Maine SBA, were in Bangor today to present awards to the bank in three categories: -- 7(a) Community lender with the highest number of loans -- 7(a) Community lender with the highest dollar volume -- Lender participating in the highest number of loans to veterans "Our partnership with lenders like Merrill has enabled the SBA to serve more businesses in Maine," stated Summers. "The loan programs are easy to use, the approval process has been streamlined and it's paying off for entrepreneurs." Summers also noted that over the past ten years, Merrill Bank has made 500 SBA loans for a total of $50 million. McAleney echoed Summers' praise for the bank adding, "Lenders like Merrill Bank, who are rooted in their community, are vital partners with the SBA. Through their efforts, they provide the SBA an opportunity to help create vibrant Maine communities." In accepting the awards on behalf of the bank, William P. Lucy, President, said, "Being recognized by the SBA as the top lender in the State of Maine is a real honor and it wouldn't have been possible without a great lending team. It is a win-win-win for our customers, the bank and the SBA." Merrill Bank provides consumer, commercial, trust and investment services through its eleven locations in Central and Eastern Maine. The Bank is a "preferred Lender" of the Small Business Administration.