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Eastern Bank Honors Cathy Duffy Cullity, CEO of Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, With Community Advocacy Award

Helping Girls Achieve Their Best Has Defined Her Work For Decades

BOSTON, November 2, 2018 – Eastern Bank, America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, is pleased to announce it has awarded Cathy Duffy Cullity, CEO of Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, with its Community Advocacy Award in recognition of her many contributions across New Hampshire and New England to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold.

Since 1996, Cathy has been CEO of Girls Inc. of New Hampshire, which offers research-based informal education programs that encourage girls to master physical, intellectual and emotional challenges. Its programs include math and science education, pregnancy and drug abuse prevention, media and economic literacy, adolescent health, violence prevention, careers and leadership, and sports participation.

Over the past 22 years, Cathy has expanded the organization’s reach, providing thousands of girls with life-changing experiences and inspiring them to achieve their best. During her tenure as CEO, Girls Inc. has grown from one center in Nashua serving 40 girls a day to year-round centers in Nashua and Manchester serving 1,700 girls a year. Girls Inc. of New Hampshire now has a $1.8 million budget and 45 employees delivering programs in 50 schools, in addition to the center-based facilities. The organization also now reaches into three states—New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont—the only Girls Inc. affiliate in the country to have a designated region that reaches into three states—all of New Hampshire, Southern Maine and Windsor County, Vermont. In recognition of her accomplishments, Cathy is the first recipient of the Excellence in Leadership Award by the Girls Inc. national organization.

Previously, Cathy was involved with programs serving women and children in Lawrence, Massachusetts, including as the Executive Director of the Plains Community Center and the Program Director at the Lawrence YWCA, where she secured federal funding for a women’s shelter that continues to operate today.

“Cathy was taught as a young girl by her single mom that anything is possible, and she has been driven ever since to make a difference in the lives of women and girls,” said Bob Rivers, Chair and CEO of Eastern Bank. “Her success means thousands of girls are more confident to master life’s challenges. We are honored to recognize Cathy’s achievements, and to have this opportunity to thank her for being an outstanding advocate for young women in New Hampshire and beyond.”

This celebration of Eastern’s Community Advocacy Award coincides with the Bank’s 200^th anniversary year, when it is focusing its community service, philanthropy, and advocacy efforts toward helping eliminate barriers around issues that disproportionately impact women and girls in health care, education, the workplace, and in society generally, in honor of the Bank’s first customers who were predominantly women.

Cathy Duffy Cullity commented, “On behalf of all the girls who have come through our doors into the Girls Inc. experience, I am so grateful to Eastern Bank for this award and recognition. A Girls Inc. girl knows how to dream big and accomplish her goals!”

About Eastern Bank
Founded in 1818 and celebrating its 200^th anniversary in 2018, Boston-based Eastern Bank is America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, with $11 billion in assets and over 120 locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Eastern provides exceptional access to fairly priced banking, investment and insurance products and services for consumers and businesses of all sizes. Eastern Bank, which includes Eastern Wealth Management and Eastern Insurance, is known for its outspoken advocacy and community support that has exceeded more than $110 million in charitable giving since 1999. An inclusive company, Eastern employs 1,900+ deeply committed professionals who value relationships with their customers, colleagues and communities. Join us for good at www.easternbank.com and follow Eastern on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

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