BMO HARRIS BANK, ICEHOGS ANNOUNCE SOCK DRIVE

Bank to match donation up to 5,500 pairs of socks for Rockford's homeless community

Rockford, Ill.- BMO Harris Bank announced today, in partnership with the Rockford IceHogs and the United Way of Rock River Valley, they will host a “Sock Drive on Sock Monkey Night" at Rockford's BMO Harris Bank Center on March 2, 2013, collecting new pairs of socks to donate to homeless children of Rockford through Project Undershare. Starting Monday, Feb. 25 donations will be accepted at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

Sock donations will be accepted through Saturday, March 2, when the IceHogs take on the Milwaukee Admirals at 7:05 p.m. (purchase tickets at www.icehogs.com or 815-968-5222). Individuals who donate a pair of new children's socks at the BMO Harris Bank Center will receive a buy-one-get-one-free voucher to select IceHogs games throughout the remaining season. Hubert the Lion will be present at the March 2nd game to greet and thank the community as the donations are accepted.

BMO has committed to matching the sock donation up to 5,500 pairs of socks for the Rockford community -- the city known as the "Home of the Sock Monkey" which produced the first-ever Sock Monkey in the early 1900's. Tthe first 1,500 fans at the March 2nd game will also receive an IceHogs Sock Monkey courtesy of BMO Harris Bank. The sock monkeys are dressed in an IceHogs jersey and ice skates. Visit BMO Harris Bank's Facebook for photos.

"With over 1,000 homeless children in Rockford, the winter season brings an even greater demand for clothing to keep families safe and warm," said Andrea Ward, Market President, BMO Harris Bank. "Through our great partnership with the IceHogs, an organization truly embedded in its community, 'Sock Monkey Night' will give back to those in need, heighten awareness of this ongoing issue, while also celebrating a rich part of our city's history."

About BMO Harris Bank
Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank N.A. provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris BankSM is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with 1,600 branches, and a retail deposit base of approximately $180 billion.