Although Second National has made credit cards available to customers in the past, these new MasterCard and Visa accounts will be issued and owned by the Bank. Before, another financial institution owned the accounts and controlled the interest rate and other fees charged to our customers.

"We decided we wanted to offer Second National customers a better overall product," explains Second National's John Hewitt. "That includes a lower monthly interest rate and no annual fees."

Second National will offer eight different MasterCard and Visa programs. To learn which credit card would be best for you, visit your local Second National Bank office and meet with a customer service representative. But don't wait long--special rates and a chance to win up to $5,000 are yours only until November 30. Read on for details!


The Great Credit Card Pay-Off Sweepstakes

We'll hold three drawings from these applications--one at the end of September, October, and November. On the 30th of each month, one winner will be chosen and awarded up to $5,000 to pay off the balance of his or her new credit card account (based on the account statement from the previous month.) The winner will receive a direct payment from Second National into his or her credit card account.

No purchase is necessary to enter the sweepstakes and the contest is open to individuals who do not apply for a new SNB credit card. You may enter (only one entry is allowed per person) by completing a 3" x 5" card with your name, address and daytime phone number and mailing it to: Credit Card Promotion, Second National Bank, PO Box 1311, Warren, Ohio 44482-1311. Should a non-SNB credit card holder win a drawing, they will receive a direct payment into a credit card account of their choice.

This promotion ends November 30--so ask your Second National customer service representative for an application and contest details on your next visit!


Ready for Social Security? Expect Your Check at the Bank, Not the Mail

The reason? Instead of receiving checks in the mail, the funds will be electronically transmitted to the individual's checking or savings account at their local bank. That's for new applicants to federal programs. But what about those of you already receiving Social Security, Welfare, or Veterans' benefits?

By January 1, 1999, all recipients of federal government payments that have accounts at a financial institution will also begin receiving their funds by electronic funds transfer. By that time, it is estimated that more than 90 percent of all payments coming in and out of the federal government will be done electronically--saving Uncle Sam, the nation's banks and other financial institutions, and you and I--millions of dollars in check printing, handling, and postage.

It costs the government 44 cents to issue a check, versus 2 cents to make the payment electronically. The switch from check to direct deposit will save the government about $500 million over the next five years. Financial institutions will save another $500 million in processing costs because of the new law.


What's Electronic Funds Transfer?

Here's how it works: information regarding federal payments is sent over phone lines, and after being routed through the Federal Reserve Bank, it reaches your local bank, which receives instructions on how much to credit each individual's account.

Sounds pretty technologically advanced. . . but just how accurate is electronic funds transfer? The experts at Second National say there's no need to worry about computer glitches or mistakes.

"Electronic funds transfer is 99 percent accurate, versus only a 95 percent accuracy rate for traditional check payments," says Roberta Grantz, Operations Manager at Second National Bank. "With direct deposit, your account is credited with government funds faster than when a check is sent through the mail."

And, there is another benefit.

"Many older adults like to travel or just worry about receiving their mail and government checks on a timely basis," explains Ms. Grantz. "With direct deposit, you don't have to worry about being home to get your check and getting it to the bank for deposit."


A Great Way to Pay Utilities . . .

By completing a form at your local Second National office, you can authorize direct payments to your local gas, electric, or phone company each month. Instead of receiving a monthly bill in the mail from these companies, the amount you owe them will be deducted from your checking account. A listing of direct payments will then be listed in your monthly bank statement.

Using this direct payment service is not only highly convenient, it can save you money.

"When you use direct payment, you save the cost of the check you would have written to pay for the service, postage, and the time it takes to pay your monthly bills," explains Ms. Grantz. "What's more, because your utility payments will automatically be paid on time, you avoid the possibility of a late charge."

Services that can be paid using direct payment also include water, sewer, cable television, and insurance. A complete list of participating companies is available at your local Second National office.

Interested? Ask your Second National Bank customer service representative about direct payment.


Second National Bank Makes National News

Second National was ranked 90th on the prestigious PD 100, a list compiled by the Cleveland Plain Dealer each year that ranks the best companies from all industries in the entire state of Ohio. Second National also ranked 43rd on the PD's list of the 50 fastest growing companies in Ohio.

Second National also recently appeared in a listing of top Ohio banks in Akron's daily newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal. Second National ranked 14th on the list, which was created by evaluating various performance factors, putting the Bank ahead of other major banks in the area. Elsewhere in the Beacon Journal, Second Bancorp, Inc. was listed as one of the 10 Ohio companies that offered the best five-year return on investment--407 percent from 1990 to 1995.

US Banker, a national magazine covering the banking industry, ranked Second National Bank among the top 200 best performing mid-sized banks in its June 1996 issue.