Page 5 - Annual Report 2018

Chairman’s report (continued) Management and Staff
We have recently changed our management structure to better suit our operating environment. Greg Arnott joins Justin Bice as a Relationship Manager (increasing our focus on customer interaction), while Jo-Ann Downey continues to manage Heidelberg branch (currently on long service leave with Julie Bullen acting in her role) and Pooja Nayyar manages the East Ivanhoe
branch. I would like to recognise the huge contribution these managers and their staff have made to our company over the year. The board acknowledges and appreciates the dedication and enthusiasm of our highly experienced staff and their strong commitment to our company’s vision and values. They are a critical part of our company’s success and continue to present and uphold the vision of the company and provide excellent service to our customers and to the community.
Community Contributions
During this 12 month period to June 2018, the East Ivanhoe and Heidelberg branches have supported the community with $226,867.
The breakdown of this gure is:-
• $141,250 toward sponsorships
• $85,617 towards grants to different local not-for-pro t organisations
See the table at the end of this report for a detailed list of recipients.
Through our sponsorship and grants program we are building a healthier business as the return on this investment into our community is realised. By supporting our community our company can grow, further bene tting the community.
Shareholders
Your support is essential to our success. Your commitment to our company has been extremely bene cial to the community in which we live. We encourage you to help us spread the word and to encourage others to:
Support the Bank that Supports your Community.
After a strong year, the board has decided to announce a dividend of 7¢ per share, fully franked and payable to all shareholders in late October 2018. This will be our sixteenth successive dividend allocation and hopefully reminds our shareholders of the solid investment they made in supporting their local community. As a result of our continued growth we believe the company is in a good position to continue with increased dividends over the coming years. This is in line with our adopted dividend policy to ensure growth for our shareholders.
Just as shareholders have bene ted from the success of our company, our total community return, including dividends, is over $4.14 million since 2001. This is capital that has stayed in OUR community because of your generous support for our Community Bank® branches.
The board of directors join me in encouraging those shareholders who are not yet banking with the East Ivanhoe or Heidelberg Community Bank® branches of Bendigo & Adelaide Bank that you consider doing so. I would like to take this opportunity to ask shareholders to consider making an appointment with one of our Relationship Managers or Branch
Managers who will be only too happy to discuss the broad range of banking products we have available. Products including loans, insurance and nancial planning, all at very competitive rates.
Heidelberg District Community Enterprise Limited 3.