Local Charities Benefit From M&I Employee Challenge

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Dec 01, 2011, 09:00 ET

PHOENIX, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Employees from three Arizona 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 were: Glendale, Sun City West and Buckeye Valley.

M&I donations will go to:

The Salvation Army of Glendale ($1,000 from the Glendale branch)
Sun City West PRIDES ($500 from the Sun City West branch)
All Faith Community Services ($250 from the Buckeye Valley branch)

This is the third year in a row that local nonprofits have benefited 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 Steve Johnson, M&I's Arizona 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."

Recently M&I was named a finalist for their community service efforts by Hands On – Greater Phoenix's "Volunteerism – The Heart of Business Awards 2011." Locally, M&I and its employees support more than 200 local charitable organizations. Since 2001 hundreds of M&I employees 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.