Harris Establishes Local Community Affairs Team

ROCKFORD, Ill., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Harris today announced it has established a Community Affairs team to build its community and philanthropy presence in Rockford. With more than a 125 year history as a strong civic partner, Harris is committed to building, strengthening and enhancing the communities it serves.

"Rockford is a key market for Harris, and we believe it is important to show our commitment by establishing a local Community Affairs team to work closely with community leaders and nonprofit groups," said Judy Rice, senior vice president and head of Community Affairs and Economic Development for Harris.

Katherine Taylor, long-time Rockford resident and former Corporate Communications and Investor Relations manager for AMCORE, has been named Vice President, Community Affairs – Rockford. She will be joined by Theresa Wendhausen, AMCORE's former Public Relations and Marketing manager, who has been named Rockford's Community Affairs specialist.  

"Establishing a strong community connection is critical," said Rice. "With our dedicated, in-market Community Affairs team, we can better understand what's important to Rockford and provide the appropriate resources to help support those endeavours and make a positive impact."

Taylor and Wendhausen are responsible for managing programs that help enhance and strengthen the community through a focus on financial literacy, community and economic development, arts and cultural support, and coordinated corporate giving and sponsorships with local community organizations.

About Katherine Taylor

Katherine was raised in Rockford and has 25 years of experience in the in the financial services industry, including 13 years at AMCORE now Harris. She is a 13-year member of the National Institute of Investor Relations (NIRI), a charter member of the NIRI Roundtable for Strategic Communication and Reputation Management, and a member of the NIRI Roundtable on Banking. In 2005, Katherine was a Ring of Excellence recipient, an award given annually to AMCORE employees who exemplify quality customer service and go the extra mile in their work. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

About Theresa Wendhausen

Theresa has 13 years of experience in marketing and public relations at AMCORE now Harris. A graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management, she joined the school's advisory board in 2008 and currently serves on the faculty as a Between Session Advisor. Theresa also has her Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP) designation. She graduated summa cum laude from St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in journalism.  

About Harris

Harris is an integrated financial service organization providing more than 1.2 million personal, business and corporate clients with banking, lending, investing and wealth management solutions. The organization is a member of the BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), which also provides corporate and investment banking services in the U.S. under the BMO Capital Markets name.

Harris® is a trade name used by various financial service subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp.  Banking products and services are provided by Harris N.A., The Harris Bank, N.A. and their bank affiliates, Members FDIC. 

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Brokerage products are offered through Harris Investor Services, Inc. (HIS), a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC-registered investment advisor.  Insurance and annuities are offered through Harris Bancorp Insurance Services, Inc. (HBIS). Investment banking services are provided by BMO Capital Markets Corp. (BMOCMC) and BMO Capital Markets GKST, Inc. (GKST), a Municipal Bond Dealer and member FINRA and SIPC.  Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. (HSBSB), an SEC registered investment advisor.  Family Office Services are provided by Harris myCFO, Inc.  Investment advisory services are offered by Harris myCFO Investment Advisory Services LLC (HmyCFO), a SEC-registered investment advisor and wholly-owned subsidiary of Harris myCFO, Inc.  Stoker Ostler Wealth Advisors (SOWA) is an SEC-registered investment advisor. Investment advisory services to institutional clients are provided by Harris Investment Management (HIM), an SEC-registered investment advisor.  Products offered by HIS, HBIS, BMOCM, HSBSB, HmyCFO and HIM, affiliated companies and are wholly owned subsidiaries of Harris Financial Corp.,: Are Not Insured by the FDIC or any Federal Government Agency, Not a Deposit of or guaranteed by Any Bank or Bank Affiliate, May lose Value.  The purchase of insurance or an annuity is not a condition to any bank loan or service.  Not all products and services are offered in every state and/or location.

SOURCE Harris