(Not pictured) April McKee, Jeff Phaneuf, Dan Erickson
Canton, Mass. – One of the very few banks in the country still operating under its original name, Canton Co-operative Bank is celebrating the 135th anniversary of its founding this year.
According to Canton Co-operative Bank President & CEO (and Canton native) Nick Maffeo, “In 1891, the first President of Canton Co-operative - Ephraim Thorndike - promised that Canton Co-operative would be the ‘easiest and safest place to borrow’ with the goal of helping local people get ‘homes, happiness and independence.’ Today we still help local people buy homes, and much more.”
“Canton Co-operative Bank is an independent mutual community bank, not a stock bank – and that makes a huge difference,” Nick Maffeo said. “Customers come first with us, not stockholders or Wall Street.”
“Canton Co-operative has also been a place where many local people have started their careers or built a career over decades. Customers really like being able to work with Bank employees they can get to know, like and trust. That’s actually how community banking is supposed to be,” Maffeo added.
Canton Co-operative employees and Directors being recognized in 2026 include: Deborah (Debby) Kreusch started at Canton Co-operative in a temporary summer teller position in 1976 and – after serving in many operational positions – she was named President of the Bank in 1991, a position she held until 2014. Debby Kreusch is currently Chair of the Bank’s Board of Directors.
April McKee joined Canton Co-operative Bank in 1986 as a Teller. After holding multiple roles in retail operations, she became Branch Manager in 2014.
Among the Bank’s employees: Senior Vice-President/Chief Operating Officer Laurie O’Leary/20 Years of Service, Loan Officer/Closing Coordinator Robert Dalo/10 Years of Service and Teller Lauren Lyons/5 Years of Service.
On the Bank’s Board of Directors: Jeffrey (Jeff) Phaneuf/15 Years of Service and Daniel (Dan) Erickson/15 Years of Service.
“Canton Co-operative provides a steadiness local people appreciate very much with a friendliness and dedication to this community that customers tell us they appreciate and value too. People can see that Canton Co-operative is here for them – because we are and we have been for 135 years,” Nick Maffeo said.
Right next to the Post Office, Canton Co-operative has been Canton’s hometown bank since 1891 and is rated “5-Star for Strength & Stability” as “one of the strongest banks in the country,” according to bank-rating service BauerFinancial of Coral Gables, Florida. All deposits are insured by the FDIC and the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF). The phone number is 781-828-8811.