J.D. Power and Associates Ranks Northwest Savings Bank "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Mid-Atlantic Region" for the Third Consecutive Year

WARREN, Pa., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, Northwest Savings Bank ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the Mid-Atlantic Region, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Retail Banking Customer Satisfaction Study.

The study, conducted in January, analyzes the overall satisfaction customers have with their retail banking experience based on account activities, account information, facility, fees, problem resolution, and product offering. Northwest received the highest satisfaction score in the Mid-Atlantic Region, which includes Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

"Earning our third consecutive award from J.D. Power and Associates for being highest ranked in our six-state region is an amazing honor," said Steven G. Fisher, Executive Vice President, Banking Services of Northwest Savings Bank. "It is both humbling and exhilarating. This award comes from the people we serve, the people who are the reason our company exists. Everything we do, all aspects of our banking service delivery, we do for them, through a dedicated, continuous improvement program designed to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction."

William J. Wagner, President and CEO of Northwest Savings Bank, added, "Northwest Savings Bank has served its customers for over 115 years. In addition to the recognition by J.D. Power, Keefe, Bruyette and Woods recently named Northwest Savings Bank to their 'Bank Honor Roll,' which consists of the forty top-performing banks in the country over the last ten years, and Forbes included Northwest on its list of 'The 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America' based upon the transparency of our financial reporting and our strong governance practices. We are pleased with the significant recognition Northwest has received in 2012, and we thank our employees for their dedication and our customers for their support."

To read the announcement from JD Power and Associates, please follow this link:
http://www.jdpower.com/content/press-release/Hmio580/2012-retail-banking-satisfaction-study.htm

About Northwest Savings Bank

Headquartered in Warren, PA, Northwest Savings Bank is a full-service community bank that operates 168 banking locations in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Maryland. With assets of $8 billion, Northwest offers its customers a full range of business and personal banking services, employee benefits services, and investment management services. The stock of its parent company, Northwest Bancshares, Inc., trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "NWBI." For more information about Northwest Savings Bank, please visit northwestsavingsbank.com.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence, and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com.  J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

SOURCE Northwest Savings Bank