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A Note of Gratitude from Phillip Lehmann, President and Chairman, The Harvard State Bank

Celebrating 160 years is not something any organization takes for granted. The Harvard State Bank is one of the few banks in Illinois that has remained in continuous, independent operation for 160 years. Since 1866, we have proudly served our communities, this anniversary year has been a meaningful reminder of why we do what we do, who we do it for, and how we have managed to sustain something so rare.

To our customers, our employees, board members, and our community partners across Harvard, Hebron, Oregon, and Rockford: thank you. This milestone — something fewer than 10 percent of banks in America have achieved — belongs to you as much as it does to us.

The community luncheons held in August — at the Moose Lodge in Harvard and River’s Edge Experience in Oregon — brought together the people who are at the center of everything this bank represents. Seeing neighbors, longtime customers, and employees gathered in the same room to celebrate what we have built together was a reminder that community banking is built on exactly that — people who know each other, trust each other, and show up for each other.

Throughout the year, our team carried out 160 Acts of Kindness for 160 Years of Service

— a commitment to give back in ways that reflect the communities we are proud to be part of. That commitment took many forms. We were honored to help sponsor Harvard Celebrates America: 250 Years on the Fourth of July — a celebration of the kind of civic pride that has always been part of this town’s character. We were proud to support the McHenry County Fair in August, an institution that connects directly to the agricultural roots of the families and businesses we have served for generations. And in September, we closed out the summer as a sponsor of the Walworth County Fair, a tradition that speaks to the regional ties that have always mattered to us.

Those are just a few examples. The full list of 160 acts — spanning donations, volunteer efforts, event sponsorships, and community investments — reflects what this bank and these communities are made of: neighbors helping neighbors, in ways big and small.

What this anniversary confirmed is something we already knew: the strength of this bank has never been its balance sheet. It has always been its relationships. Customers who have banked with us for decades. Families we have watched grow. Local businesses we have helped finance, stabilize, and expand. That fabric of connection is what 160 years actually looks like.

Banking will keep changing. Technology will keep evolving. Customer expectations will continue to grow. We will meet all of that — just as we have for 160 years — without losing sight of what makes a community bank worth having. Our goal has never been to be the biggest. Our goal is to remain the most trusted.

While the official anniversary celebrations may be drawing to a close, our commitment to these communities is not. The relationships, the partnerships, and the work that defined this year will continue — because that is what this bank has always done, and what we intend to keep doing for the next 160 years.

Thank you for being part of this milestone. Serving our communities — and you

— continues to be a privilege.

Phillip Lehmann, President and Chairman at The Harvard State Bank