Richard J. Gavegnano, Chairman & CEO of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. Rings the NASDAQ Closing Bell

On Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Richard J. Gavegnano, Chairman & CEO of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. traveled to New York City with directors of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. and EBSB management to ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell.

Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. is a Massachusetts chartered mid-tier holding company established in 2006 by East Boston Savings Bank (EBSB) to be its holding company. Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. owns all of EBSB's capital stock and directs, plans and coordinates EBSB's business activities. In addition, Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. owns 40% of the capital stock of Hampshire First Bank, a New Hampshire chartered bank, organized in 2006 and headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire.


East Boston Savings Bank is a Massachusetts chartered stock savings bank originally founded in 1848. The Bank operates eleven full-service branch locations and one loan center in the greater Boston metropolitan area. A variety of deposit and loan products are offered to individuals and businesses located in our primary market, which consists of Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, Massachusetts.