BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 5, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fewer than four days since Hurricane Gustav battered Louisiana's coastal and central regions, Hancock Bank of Louisiana has opened 98 percent of the company's Louisiana branches, including offices in more heavily impacted communities throughout metropolitan Baton Rouge, Central Louisiana, and greater New Orleans.
In fact, Hancock was the first bank to reopen in the capital city -- less than 24 hours after Gustav's landfall -- and has reopened more branches in Louisiana than any other bank currently serving storm affected areas. Hancock will also open Louisiana branches tomorrow, Saturday, September 6, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, including locations that do not typically open for Saturday banking.
With assets of approximately $6.2 billion, Hancock Holding Company (Nasdaq:HBHC) is the parent company of Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank Mississippi, Hancock Bank of Alabama, and Hancock Bank of Florida. Hancock Bank of Louisiana is headquartered in Baton Rouge.
"Our associates in Louisiana and their colleagues in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida have demonstrated phenomenal dedication to the core values on which Hancock was founded. Despite extremely difficult post-storm conditions, our Louisiana teams opened 25 percent of our Louisiana locations the morning after the storm. They have worked days, nights, and weekends to ensure Hancock can offer customers the financial services they need to recover from Hurricane Gustav," said Hancock Holding Company Retail Executive Ricky Hill.
All of Hancock's Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida branches as well as corporate and personal trust, commercial banking, small business services, mortgage, insurance, investments, and wealth management divisions opened for regular business hours on Tuesday, September 2. ATMs, e-banking and telephone banking remained available throughout the storm; and customer service call centers opened on Sunday, August 31, and on Labor Day to assist customers preparing for Gustav.
A Hancock branch on Plank Road in Baton Rouge sustained enough storm damage to pose safety issues for customers and employees. Hancock officials expect to resolve options for banking services at that location by the weekend.
Founded in 1899, Hancock Bank operates 164 banking and financial services offices and 134 ATMs across a Gulf South I-10 corridor market spanning Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Bank subsidiaries include Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency and its divisions of New Orleans-based J. Everett Eaves and Ross King Walker, and Harrison Finance Company.
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