LEWISTON – Chris DeMerchant has joined UnitedKingfield Bank as a commercial loan officer for Androscoggin County, said Jeffrey D. Smith, chief operating officer of the bank.

DeMerchant will be responsible for commercial lending and business development in the Lewiston-Auburn area. DeMerchant said, “This position gives me the opportunity to identify and develop resources for continued growth for UnitedKingfield Bank, and I look forward to working within the business community.”

DeMerchant had worked at Peoples Bank, a division of Banknorth, N.A., as a credit analyst and commercial loan portfolio officer. Previously, he was an assistant manager with a CVS pharmacy.

DeMerchant serves as a board member, member of the Development Committee and treasurer of the Finance Committee for Tri-County Mental Health Services.

He also is a board member and treasurer for the Finance Committee for the Sandcastle Preschool Program Foundation. He volunteers for various charity events for the Sisters of Charity Health System.

A graduate of Thomas College in Waterville, he received a bachelor of science degree with a major in finance and economics and a minor in management.

DeMerchant lives in Monmouth with his wife, Katherine, a marketing professional with Sisters of Charity Health System in Lewiston. They have two sons, 2-year-old Ethan and 6-month-old Jacob.

Credit unions form network

WESTBROOK – Maine’s credit unions recently introduced the concept of shared branching, a cooperative effort that provides members of participating credit unions with the ability to conduct financial transactions at nearly 1,400 locations across the country and overseas.

Six Maine credit unions went “live” with the Maine Credit Union League’s Shared Branching Network and more are expected to join in the coming months.

The initial six, which combined have more than 105,000 members, include: Atlantic Regional FCU in Brunswick and Freeport, Five County CU in Bath, Falmouth, Portland and Topsham, Maine State ECU in Augusta, Midcoast FCU in Edgecomb, Rainbow FCU In Lewiston and University CU in Orono, Bangor and Portland.

Shared branching provides members and potential members of participating credit unions to have access to the nearly 1,400 and growing service center outlets via the cooperative network of service centers in the United States.

At these credit unions, members are able to cash checks, make deposits, withdrawals (either cash or check), make a loan payment, receive loan advances, make transfers from one account to another.

and make balance inquires.