BERKSHIRE BANK SELECTS THE EDCOMM GROUP TO DELIVER BANKING COMPLIANCE TRAINING

(NEW YORK, NY) – August 9, 2006

Berkshire Bank has selected The Edcomm Group to deliver Banking Compliance training for its bank-wide training needs. Berkshire is currently under contract with Banker’s Edge, but has taken advantage of Edcomm’s “Switch for Compliance Excellence” program.

“Switch for Compliance Excellence” was developed by Edcomm as a way for banks that are currently under contract with a different compliance training vendor, to switch to Edcomm’s Focus on Compliance course, free of charge. Edcomm is offering to switch any bank from any vendor at no cost to the bank. Also at no cost, Edcomm will migrate all historical compliance training records into Learning Link® for seamless record-keeping and reporting.

Dr. Linda Eagle, President of The Edcomm Group said, “We want to enable every bank to provide the very best compliance training to their people by delivering our Focus on Compliance program. If you’re working with another vendor — BAI, BankersEdge, Bankers Systems, BTCC, BVS, Compliance Coach, Digital University, Harland, Kirchman, Sage Online Learning, Thomson NETg, TRC Interactive, Trinity Workplace Learning, Sheshunoff, Wolters Kluwer, or anyone else — we will switch you over at no additional cost to your bank.”

Eagle explained a few of the differences between Edcomm’s Compliance Training and the products and services offered by other vendors. “Our content is superior and our service is superior, but it doesn’t stop there. When we sign up a bank, it’s their choice to renew. We don’t demand a binding, multi-year contract the way most of our competitors do. Banks stay with Edcomm because they want to, not because they have to!”

Focus on Compliance, a computer-based, distance-learning program, can be delivered via Internet, Intranet or CD-ROM. The program teaches banking compliance using easy-to-understand language in an interactive, self-paced format. Participants learn from their own perspective, with a curriculum customized to their position. Focus on Compliance covers: Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), USA PATRIOT Act, OFAC, Privacy, Reg P, Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, Right to Financial Privacy, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Reg CC & Check 21, Reg D, Reg E, Reg Z, Truth in Lending, FCRA, FACT Act, HMDA, CRA, and Bank Bribery, among others. The program also includes a quick reference guide to all banking regulations, as well as a glossary of terms and a library of reference materials.

Learning Link®, Edcomm’s full-featured learning management system has an open architecture that builds on industry-standard SCORM and AICC compliance, but adds features and capabilities far beyond any competing products. Learning Link® maintains a complete record of every learning and administrative activity and offers a wide variety of customizable, real-time reports available both onscreen and in CSV formats for download and integration into any HR system. Learning Link’s servers have been issued a SAS-70 attesting to the quality of their security, business continuity and performance.

For more information about programs like this, or to find out how The Edcomm Group can customize any training program, log onto www.bankersacademy.com.

Berkshire Bank is a super-community bank that has the resources to meet the banking needs of its large, commercial customers and the common sense to focus on the needs of its everyday customers. Berkshire is headquartered in Pittsfield, MA with 29 domestic branches and over $2 million in assets.

The Edcomm Group has had the privilege of assisting many distinguished clients with business solutions in the form of eLearning programs, classroom instruction, multimedia production and online and print based documentation. In addition to the development of customized programs, The Edcomm Group offers many banking specific off-the-shelf products such as Teller Training and Compliance Training that have proven themselves effective in organizations around the world.

The Edcomm Group is a 19-year-old multimedia education and communication consulting firm specializing in the development of creative business solutions that improve productivity, customer service and market share — providing bottom-line results. The Edcomm Group (www.edcomm.com) (www.bankersacademy.com) is headquartered in New York City with an Advanced Design Center located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

For more information, please contact:

Linda Eagle
President, The Edcomm Group
1-888-4EDCOMM
linda.eagle@edcomm.com