EB Employees Support TVCCA with $16,000 Grant Norwich, CT July 28, 2026— The Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association is once again partnering with Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) to support neighbors in need across eastern Connecticut with $16,000 in funding for two critical programs. A $9,000 grant will support TVCCA’s Home Again program, which helps prevent homelessness by assisting households with emergency housing expenses, including rent, security deposits, utilities, and moving costs. The program also provides case management to help families achieve long-term stability.

“Because of partners like the Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association, we can help families address housing challenges before they become a crisis,” said Ida Parker, TVCCA’s Director of Housing. “This support gives households the opportunity to regain stability and move forward.”

An additional $7,000 grant will support TVCCA’s Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels program, helping provide meal delivery and congregate dining opportunities for older adults throughout the region.

“We’re so grateful for the continued commitment of the Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association,” said Eugene Theroux, TVCCA’s Director of Senior Nutrition. “Their support helps us provide more than meals—it helps ensure seniors receive connection, care, and support when they need it most.”

For more information about TVCCA’s Housing and Senior Nutrition programs and other services throughout eastern Connecticut, call (860) 889-1365 or visit tvcca.org

CONTACT: Laura Dunn / (860) 481-3796 / media@dunnmarketing.com 

PHOTO: (l to r): Laura Dunn, CEO & Chief Brand Strategist, Dunn Marketing; Marci Seney, Vice President, Client Services, Dunn Marketing

Dunn Marketing’s Brand Refresh for The Prue Law Group Earns 2026 Communicator Award of Distinction

Agency also recognized with two additional 2026 Communicator Awards alongside client WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors, for three total honors this year

KILLINGLY, CT (July 9, 2026) — Dunn Marketing has been honored with a 2026 Communicator Award of Distinction in the Campaign – Brand Redesign or Refresh category for its work with The Prue Law Group, P.C. Dunn Marketing’s work for the Windham County law firm helped to reposition it from a respected regional practice into a modern, full-service firm with expanded reach across eastern and central Connecticut. The honor is one of three Communicator Awards earned this year by Dunn Marketing and its clients.

The Communicator Awards is one of the largest and most competitive recognition programs honoring excellence, effectiveness, and innovation in marketing and communications. The 32nd Annual Communicator Awards drew more than 3,000 entries from ad agencies, in-house creative teams, design firms, and public relations professionals around the world, with winners selected by The Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only body of more than 1,100 industry leaders from organizations including JPMorgan Chase & Co., FedEx, Netflix, National Geographic Society, and others.

A Brand Built to Grow With Its Region

Dunn Marketing partnered with The Prue Law Group beginning in late 2024, when the more than 45-year-old firm was preparing for a new chapter: growing the estate and business law arms of its practice and expanding its presence beyond its core base in Windham County into the surrounding region, all while protecting the trusted, person-centered reputation it had built since 1980.

The resulting work included a refreshed logo and visual identity, a new brand color palette and voice, a rebuilt website, updated social media presence, refreshed print and digital advertising, and a brand video, along with the strategic research, audience personas, and content planning needed to guide it all. The rollout launched in April 2025.

“The Prue Law Group has spent more than four decades earning their clients’ trust, and our job was to make sure that trust came through in every new brand interaction, even as we positioned the firm for growth in new markets,” said Laura Dunn, CEO and Chief Brand Strategist at Dunn Marketing. “Seeing that work recognized by the Communicator Awards is meaningful, but what we’re really proud of is what it did for our client and the families and business owners they serve,” Dunn said.

In the first full year following the rebrand, The Prue Law Group saw a 13 percent increase in new case files compared to the prior year, including a 93 percent increase in business law cases and a 13 percent increase in estate law cases. The firm also saw an approximate 22 percent increase in revenue, a 57 percent increase in digital ad clicks, and more than double the social media engagement, year over year.

“This recognition validates exactly what we set out to do with Dunn Marketing, and that is to build a brand that reflects more than four decades of history while opening the door for the next generation of clients,” said Attorney Patrick Prue, founder of The Prue Law Group. “We’re very proud of what this brand represents and grateful to the Dunn Marketing team for helping us tell our story in a way that resonates with both the families who have trusted us for decades and the ones who are just getting to know us.”

A Strong Showing Across the Agency’s Client Roster

The Prue Law Group honor comes alongside two additional 2026 Communicator Awards of Distinction earned by Dunn Marketing in partnership with client WHZ Strategic Wealth Advisors: one in the Advertising Campaigns – Financial Services category for WHZ’s television campaign, “Absolute Confidence. Unwavering Partnership. For Life.,” and a second in the Publications – White Paper category for the consumer guide Smart Strategies to Maximize Generational Wealth. WHZ and Dunn Marketing announced those honors separately.

“Three wins across two very different client partners, in three different categories, speaks to the range of work our team takes on every day,” Dunn said. “Whether it’s a law firm building a modern, regional identity or a wealth management firm connecting with clients on some of the most personal decisions they’ll make, our approach is the same: start with empathy and build a brand people trust.”

For more information about Dunn Marketing and its Empathy-Driven Brand Building™ approach to marketing for clients across healthcare, education, finance, law, and the nonprofit sector, visit dunnmarketing.com.

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About The Prue Law Group, P.C.

The Prue Law Group, P.C. has provided trusted legal guidance to individuals, families, and businesses throughout eastern and central Connecticut for more than 45 years. The firm offers counsel in Estate Planning, Estate Settlement & Probate, Elder Law, Title 19 & Conservatorships, Business Law, Real Estate Law, Personal Injury Law, Litigation, and Divorce & Family Law, with offices in Willimantic, Brooklyn, Coventry, and Colchester. Learn more at pruelawgroup.com.

About Dunn Marketing

Dunn Marketing is a strategic brand development and omni-channel marketing agency dedicated to fueling the success of good people doing great work. Founded in 2018, the agency’s six-step Empathy-Driven Brand Building™ process and comprehensive suite of marketing services has fueled success for clients across a variety of life services industries, including healthcare, human services, education, finance, law, and the nonprofit sector. To learn more, visit dunnmarketing.com.

About The Communicator Awards

The Communicator Awards recognizes excellence, effectiveness, and innovation across all areas of communication. Now in its 32nd year, the program has provided an equal opportunity for companies, agencies, organizations, and independent creators to be honored, regardless of team size or project budget. The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and reviewed by The Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only body of more than 1,100 industry leaders from top brands and agencies. For more information, visit communicatorawards.com.

These proposed transactions build on Hometown’s previously announced plan to merge its three banks and unite under the TruNorth Bank name, which, subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, is scheduled to occur in August, and will deliver greater scale, expanded capabilities, and more resources for customers, employees, and communities.

Acquisition of Primary Bank
Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors, Primary Bank shareholders will receive, for each share of Primary Bank common stock, either $33.00 in cash or $31.00 in shares of stock issued by Hometown Financial Group, Inc., a newly formed Maryland corporation, which will be a successor to Hometown, subject to the requirement that 50% of the outstanding shares of Primary common stock be converted into the cash consideration and 50% be converted into the stock consideration. The total transaction value is approximately $160 million.

The acquisition will add approximately $743 million in assets and four New Hampshire locations to TruNorth Bank’s 55-branch network, including its existing Newton, New Hampshire, branch. At closing of the acquisition, Hometown will grow to 59 TruNorth Bank retail locations across Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and northeast Connecticut. Primary Bank’s branches in Bedford, Derry, Manchester, and Nashua will operate under the TruNorth Bank name.

Customers of both banks will benefit from broader access to banking services and digital solutions, a larger branch and ATM network, and expanded lending capabilities.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Primary Bank’s customers, employees, and communities to Hometown Financial Group and TruNorth Bank,” said Matthew S. Sosik, CEO and chairman of Hometown Financial and the to-be-unified TruNorth Bank. “This merger is another important step in our strategy to grow with purpose. It increases our presence in southern New Hampshire, and we’re eager to build on the outstanding success of Primary Bank by adding our strength, resources, and community banking commitment to its employees and customers.”

“Expanding our community presence while delivering superior customer service is what TruNorth Bank is all about,” said Michael R. Wheeler, TruNorth Bank’s current president and CEO. “The merger with Primary Bank allows us to continue doing just that. Together, we will be better positioned to compete, innovate, and grow—and to help Primary Bank’s business customers in New Hampshire do the same.”

Primary Bank customers also will gain access to the residential mortgage products and services offered through Hometown Mortgage, an affiliate of Hometown Financial Group that will be renamed TruNorth Mortgage concurrently when Hometown’s banks merge, which is scheduled to occur in August.

“As consolidation in the banking industry continues, this partnership allows our organizations to build on their shared track record of prioritizing customer needs and helping local businesses take hold, grow, and prosper,” Sosik added. “Together, we can offer customers the best of both banking worlds: a community bank deeply rooted in the neighborhoods we call home and an institution with the size and scale to deliver a full array of innovative products, services, and technology.”

“We are so pleased to be joining Hometown Financial Group and TruNorth Bank and are truly excited about what’s ahead for our employees, customers, and communities in the Granite State,” said Primary Bank Chairman William Greiner. “Primary Bank has achieved tremendous success since opening as a de novo bank, and this partnership represents the next logical step in ensuring our long-term success while continuing to meet customers’ evolving needs. Primary Bank’s Board of Directors knew that this day would come and one of the most important decisions was making sure that our merger partner would have the same vision, mission, and culture; we could not have picked a better partner than Hometown Financial.”

“The talent, leadership and deep market expertise being brought together will allow for our core mission to continue serving New Hampshire. We could not have asked for a better partner that shares the same community values and commitment to excellence. We are thrilled to become a part of Hometown Financial Group,” said Primary Bank President and CEO Crystal A. Dionne.

Additional supplemental information regarding the acquisition is available at www.bankhfg.com.

The Primary Bank transaction marks Hometown Financial Group’s ninth strategic merger in the last 10 years.

Luse Gorman PC served as legal counsel to Hometown Financial Group, Inc. for the merger with Keefe Bruyette and Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company acting as financial adviser. Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, P.C. served as legal counsel to Primary Bank for the merger and Brean Capital acted as financial adviser.

Mutual-to-Stock Conversion
On July 6, 2026, Hometown MHC’s Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a Plan of Conversion to reorganize from the mutual holding company structure to the stock holding company structure. As part of the conversion, Hometown MHC and Hometown will cease to exist and TruNorth Bank will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Hometown Financial Group, Inc., a newly formed Maryland corporation, which will be a successor to Hometown (the “Company”).

The Company will offer for sale shares of its common stock to depositors of TruNorth Bank and certain insiders in a subscription offering and, if necessary, a community offering, syndicated community offering and/or firm commitment underwritten offering. Eligible account holders of TruNorth Bank as of the close of business on June 30, 2025, will have first priority non-transferable subscription rights to subscribe for shares of common stock of the Company. Depositors of Primary Bank will not receive priority subscription rights in the subscription offering. The total number of shares of common stock of the Company to be issued in the proposed stock offering will be based on the aggregate pro forma market value of the common stock of the Company, as determined by an independent appraisal.

As part of the Conversion, Hometown will establish a new charitable foundation, which will be funded with a number of shares equal to 4% of the shares sold in the stock offering.

The conversion and the merger are expected to be completed concurrently in the first quarter of 2027. The merger is subject to regulatory approval and approval by Primary’s stockholders. The conversion is subject to regulatory approvals and approval by Hometown MHC’s corporators. Detailed information related to the stock offering in connection with the conversion will be sent to eligible TruNorth depositors, and information related to the stock issuance in connection with the merger will be sent to Primary’s stockholders, in each case following regulatory approval and clearances.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the proposed merger and conversion, their timing and anticipated future benefits. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend,” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” These forward-looking statements are necessarily speculative and speak only as of the date made, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, all of which may change over time. Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking statements.

Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include: failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company); failure to obtain shareholder approval or to satisfy any of the other conditions of the transaction on a timely basis or at all or other delays in completing the merger or the conversion; the reputational risks and the reaction of Hometown’s and Primary Bank’s customers to the transaction; the diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the impacts of tariffs, sanctions and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading counterparts; the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement; difficulties in achieving cost savings or synergies from the merger or in achieving such cost savings or synergies within the expected time frame; difficulties in integrating Primary Bank; increased competitive pressures; changes in the interest rate environment; changes in general economic, political and market conditions, including potential recessionary conditions; changes in asset quality and credit risk; changes in monetary and fiscal policies; legislative, regulatory, tax or accounting changes; and changes in the securities markets and other risks and uncertainties. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in the Registration Statement, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC.

Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transactions, the Company intends to file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) (i) to register the shares of Company common stock to be issued in connection with the proposed merger, which will include a proxy statement of Primary and a prospectus of the Company (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”), and (ii) to register the shares of Company common stock to the sold in the conversion stock offering (the “Prospectus”), which will include a prospectus of the Company. In addition, the Company may file with the SEC other relevant documents concerning the proposed transactions. The definitive Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be sent to the stockholders of Primary to seek their approval of the proposed merger.

BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF PRIMARY BANK ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND THE PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HOMETOWN, THE COMPANY PRIMARY AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS.

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed conversion or the proposed merger. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

A copy of the Registration Statement, Proxy Statement/Prospectus, Prospectus as well as other filings containing information about Hometown, the Company and Primary, may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) when they become available. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, the Prospectus and other filings with the SEC can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Hometown Investor Relations, 36 Main Street, Easthampton, Massachusetts 01027, or by calling (413) 779-2215.

Participants in the Solicitation
Hometown, Primary Bank and certain of its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Primary Bank’s shareholders in connection with the merger. Information about the interests of directors and executive officers and Hometown and Primary Bank and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of stockholders of Hometown and Primary Bank in connection with the proposed transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus related to the proposed transaction, which will be filed with the SEC.

About Hometown Financial Group
Hometown Financial Group, Inc. is a $6.9 billion multibank mutual holding company headquartered in Easthampton, Massachusetts, and the parent company of bankESB, bankHometown, TruNorth Bank, and Hometown Mortgage. Together, our banks offer consumer and business banking products and services through 55 locations throughout Massachusetts, northeastern Connecticut, and southern New Hampshire. We have applied for regulatory approval to merge our three banks into a single charter to be named TruNorth Bank, which is anticipated to occur later this year. We provide individualized financial support, comprehensive products and services, banking tools, and significant lending capacity to ensure our customers can unlock their potential and build a successful future.

About Primary Bank
Established in 2015, Primary Bank has approximately $743 million in total assets and is headquartered in Bedford, New Hampshire with offices in Derry, Manchester, and Nashua. Primary Bank delivers a wide range of financial services for businesses and individuals in Southern New Hampshire and is a valued community partner.

CONTACTS:
Hometown Financial Group, Inc.
Dena M. Hall, EVP, Chief Retail Banking & Marketing Officer
413.779.2215 | dhall@bankESB.com

Primary Bank
William Greiner, Chairman of the Board
603.493.0616 | rockmont2@gmail.com