Local Charities Benefit From M&I Employee Challenge

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Nov 30, 2011, 12:03 ET

SARASOTA, Fla., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Employees from three Florida branches of M&I, a part of BMO Financial Group, recently learned that their efforts from behind their desks will financially benefit select charities in their community. After a month-long statewide employee challenge, the top three winning branch teams selected a local charity to which they will direct their contribution. The winning M&I locations are in Manatee County and Orlando.

M&I donations will go to:

Manatee County Girls Club ($1,000 from the Lakewood Ranch branch)
Rescue Outreach Mission ($500 from the Sanford branch)
Orlando Walk for Alzheimer's Assn.($250 from the South Orlando branch)

This is the third year in a row that local nonprofits have benefitted from the summer M&I employee challenge. "In these continued stressful economic times, it is even more important for the business community to support the vital services these local charities provide," said Dave Maraman, M&I's Florida President. "Consistently giving our time and talents to those less fortunate is one way we demonstrate our vision of being the bank that defines great customer experience."

Locally, M&I and its employees support more than 200 local charitable organizations. Since 2001 thousands of M&I employees nationwide have come together on specific company-wide Community Days during which they volunteer their time and give back to their neighborhoods.

About BMO Harris Bank, N.A.:
Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank has approximately 700 branches and approximately 1,350 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial institution with 1,600 branches and a retail deposit base of approximately $180 billion.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group