0001104659-12-079587.txt : 20121121 0001104659-12-079587.hdr.sgml : 20121121 20121121150951 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-12-079587 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20121121 ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20121121 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20121121 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Northwest Bancshares, Inc. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001471265 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021] IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-34582 FILM NUMBER: 121221050 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 LIBERTY STREET CITY: WARREN STATE: PA ZIP: 16365 BUSINESS PHONE: (814) 726-2140 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 LIBERTY STREET CITY: WARREN STATE: PA ZIP: 16365 8-K 1 a12-27827_18k.htm 8-K

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   November 21, 2012

 

Northwest Bancshares, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland

 

1-34582

 

27-0950358

(State or other jurisdiction

 

(Commission File No.)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

of incorporation)

 

 

 

Identification No.)

 

100 Liberty Street

 

 

Warren, Pennsylvania

 

16365

(Address of principal executive office)

 

(Zip code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (814) 726-2140

 

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4 (c))

 

 

 


 

Item 8.01                                           Other Events

 

On November 21, 2012, Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (the “Registrant”) issued a news release announcing the acquisition of the Bert Company.  The Bert Company is an employee benefits and property and casualty insurance firm serving all of northwestern Pennsylvania from its location in Erie, PA.  A copy of the news release is included as exhibit 99.1 to this report and is being furnished to the SEC and shall not be deemed “filed” for any purpose.

 

Item 9.01                                           Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(a)                                 Not applicable

 

(b)                                 Not applicable

 

(c)                                  Not applicable

 

(d)                                 Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

99.1

 

Press release dated November 21, 2012

 

2


 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

NORTHWEST BANCSHARES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE:

November 21, 2012

 

By:

/s/ William W. Harvey, Jr.

 

 

William W. Harvey, Jr.

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

3

 EX-99.1 2 a12-27827_1ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

PRESS RELEASE OF NORTHWEST BANCSHARES, INC.

 


 

NEWS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/21/12

 

Contact:  Jim Holding 814.728.7670

 

NORTHWEST TO ACQUIRE THE BERT INSURANCE GROUP

 

Northwest Savings Bank announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire The Bert Company, doing business as The Bert Insurance Group, an employee benefits and property and casualty insurance firm. The Bert Insurance Group specializes in commercial and personal insurance planning as well as retirement benefit plans. The Bert Insurance Group serves all of northwestern Pennsylvania from its location in Erie, PA. The company has an extensive list of manufacturing, nonprofit, education, municipality, service industry, construction, and professional clients.

 

In making the announcement, Gregory C. LaRocca, Executive Vice President of Northwest, commented, “The Bert Insurance Group brings another dimension to our financial services group, and we believe that strong synergies exist for the cross sale of insurance, investment, trust, retail and business deposit and lending products and services. Their corporate mission and values are very similar to ours and they emphasize customer relationships over transactions, just like Northwest. We also believe that the strong management team at The Bert Insurance Group gives us the opportunity to expand their services throughout the Northwest footprint.”

 

The Bert Insurance Group will operate as a subsidiary of Northwest Savings Bank. The former owner, Douglas H. Bert, will remain with the

 


 

company and assume corporate management responsibilities as President of Northwest’s insurance operations. According to Mr. Bert, Northwest Savings Bank’s mission, vision and values align well with those of their firm. “We are honored to affiliate with Northwest Savings Bank. We look forward to introducing new services to our valued clients and to expanding the scope of Northwest Savings’ services to include property and casualty insurance.”

 

The Bert Insurance Group was cofounded in 1994 by J. Boyd Bert Jr. and his son Doug Bert with a focus on estate liquidity needs and employee benefit planning. Its consultative sales approach along with its strong focus on relationship management has allowed the company to achieve strong revenue growth over the years. In 2002 it acquired the Renshaw Agency and, in 2004, the Best Agency each specializing in property and casualty insurance.

 

Headquartered in Erie PA, The Bert Insurance Group operates from 3645 West Lake Road.

 

Founded in 1896, Northwest Savings Bank currently holds assets of $8 billion and operates 166 community-banking locations in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Maryland.  Northwest Savings Bank is a full-service financial institution offering a complete line of retail and business banking products as well as investment management, brokerage and trust services.

 

END

 


 

Forward-Looking Statements - This press release may contain forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements may involve certain risks and uncertainties. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements, include among others, the following possibilities: (1) changes in the interest rate environment; (2) competitive pressure among financial services companies; (3) general economic conditions including an increase in non-performing loans that could result from an economic downturn; (4) changes in legislation or regulatory requirements; (5) difficulties in continuing to improve operating efficiencies; (6) difficulties in the integration of acquired businesses; and (7) increased risk associated with an increase in commercial real-estate and business loans and non-performing loans.  Management has no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.