River Run Bancorp, MHC, the mutual holding company for Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank, and Rollstone Bank & Trust, along with its shared services division, River Run Services, LLC, has earned four “NEFFIE” awards from the New England Financial Marketing Association (NEFMA) in recognition of excellence in financial marketing across its affiliated banks.
Presented at NEFMA’s October 8 awards ceremony in Natick, Massachusetts, River Run’s honors included three silver and one bronze award for excellence in in-house email marketing, radio advertising, social media, and branch design. The recognized initiatives were developed by River Run’s marketing team, in collaboration with its affiliated banks.
“The NEFFIE Awards celebrate financial marketing that combines creative thinking with meaningful results,” said Shelley Regin, CFMP, Chair of NEFMA’s Awards Committee. “River Run’s four awards reflect breadth of work, from personalized customer communications and financial education, to community-focused advertising and branch design. It’s a strong example of how thoughtful marketing can help financial institutions connect with the people they serve.”
River Run received honors in four categories, highlighting marketing initiatives designed to engage, inform, and serve customers across its affiliated banks:
Email Marketing (In-house) - Silver
Newburyport Bank introduced its New Customer Onboarding Program in March 2026, using automated segmentation and personalized messaging to share relevant information with customers after account opening. The campaign recorded email open rates ranging from 25% to 57%. A Consumer Loans email generated a 50% click-through rate, while a Digital Tools email achieved a 46% open rate and a Financial Wellness email achieved a 41% open rate.
Radio Advertising (In-house) - Silver
Newburyport Bank and Pentucket Bank launched the “Community Banking, Evolved” financial literacy PSA radio campaign in January 2025. Produced entirely by River Run’s marketing team, the campaign featured 52 one-minute spots, divided evenly between the two banks, that aired on 92.5 The River. Featuring real banking customers, the messages aimed to make financial conversations more approachable, encourage financial literacy, and help listeners feel more confident in managing their money.
Social Media (In-house) - Silver
The “Let’s Talk About It” social media campaign featured banking professionals from Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank, and Rollstone Bank & Trust answering common customer questions and sharing practical money management tips. Produced entirely in-house, the campaign brought real banking professionals and accessible financial guidance to social media audiences.
Branch Design (In-house) - Bronze
Pentucket Bank opened its One Merrimack Street branch in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in May 2026. The project reestablished the bank’s presence in the heart of downtown, supported local revitalization efforts, and created an accessible, customer-focused banking environment with modern technology and convenient features.
“What makes our four NEFFIE awards especially meaningful is that each of these initiatives started with a simple goal: to find better ways to serve and connect with our customers,” said Karen Murphy, Executive Vice President, Chief Banking Officer and Chief Operations Officer with River Run Bancorp, MHC. “Our marketing team works closely with our three affiliated banks to bring ideas to life, and these awards reflect the creativity, collaboration, and commitment they bring to that work every day. We’re grateful to NEFMA for recognizing our efforts.”
About River Run
River Run Bancorp, MHC, is redefining the future of community banking by preserving the mutual banking model while empowering its affiliated banks to maintain their independent brands, local leadership, and deep commitments to the communities they serve. Established in 2023, and with collective assets of approximately $3.6 billion, River Run provides strategic leadership, shared resources, and enterprise capabilities to Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank, and Rollstone Bank & Trust.
Through River Run Bancorp and River Run Services, LLC, the organization combines the strength, stability, resources, and capabilities of a larger banking organization with the personal relationships, local decision-making, and community commitment that have long defined its affiliated banks. River Run is committed to strengthening and sustaining mutual community banking for generations to come.