PRIVACY POLICY OF
MIDWEST BANK OF WESTERN ILLINOIS

200 EAST BROADWAY,
PO BOX 440
MONMOUTH, IL 61462-0440
PHONE:  (888) 309-2265

At Midwest Bank of Western Illinois, your personal privacy is extremely important to us.  Preserving our customers’ trust is one of the core values of our company and the broader banking community.  Because of our interest in protecting your privacy, and in accordance with federal privacy regulations, our bank and our affiliate company have adopted the following privacy policy.  We have done this to continue our commitment to you to respect the trust you place in us, and the confidential nature of the information you provide through your financial relationship with us.  
 
1. Recognizing Your Expectation of Privacy
You expect privacy and security and we recognize this fact.  We must protect the sensitive information that you have entrusted to us.  We maintain procedures and high standards to prevent misuse of this information.
 
2. Collecting, Using and Retaining Information about You
We use the information you have provided only when we reasonably believe it helps us to provide and administer products, services and other opportunities that can fulfill your financial needs. We also use this information to comply with certain laws and regulations.  The information we collect and maintain about you is used only for specific business purposes and comes primarily from you during the course of your doing business with Midwest Bank of Western Illinois.  We may collect your “non-public personal information” from information we receive from you on applications or other loan and account forms, information about your transactions with our affiliate, others or us, and information we receive from third parties such as credit bureaus.  Non-public personal information would include information regarding your account balance, payment history and overdraft history.  If you wish to know why we collect and use this information, you may request that of us.  
 
Non-public information does not include information available from government records, widely distributed media, or government mandated disclosures.  
 
3. Maintaining Accurate Information
We have established procedures to ensure the accuracy and current status of your financial information in accordance with commercial standards.  Procedures are also in place to respond to you and correct inaccurate information in a timely manner, as required by federal or state laws.
 
4. Limiting Employee Access to Information
We have established procedures, which limit employee access to your personal information, to those employees who have a business reason to know such information about you.  Our employees are educated on the importance of confidentiality and customer privacy through our standard operating procedures, our employee handbook, and special training.  We take appropriate disciplinary measures to enforce these privacy responsibilities.
 
5. Protecting Information with Security Procedures
We maintain security procedures and standards that are designed to limit and prevent unauthorized access to your confidential information.  A key part of this process ensures that all information we have about you is accurate and up-to-date.  If you ever discover inaccuracies in our data, or if your personal information changes, we urge you to notify your nearest banking center immediately so that we can make the necessary changes.  

6. Sharing Information within Midwest Bank of Western Illinois
We are permitted under federal law to share non-public personal information and other information about our experience or transactions with you or your account (such as your account balance and your payment history with us) with companies related to us by common control or ownership (i.e., our “affiliate”).  Our affiliate is an insurance service provider.  Our affiliate as of June 1, 2011 is provided at the end of this policy.  The sharing of non-public personal information within Midwest Bank of Western Illinois allows us to provide you with complete and superior customer service.  However, in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, we will not share externally gathered personal information about you or your account (such as information we receive from you in applications and information from credit reporting agencies and other third parties) with our affiliate, without your specific authorization.  

7. Restricting Disclosure of Account Information to Outside Parties
We do not reveal specific information about your accounts or other personally identifiable data to parties outside our affiliated company for their independent use unless: (1) you authorize or request it; (2) the information is necessary to help complete a transaction initiated by you; (3) the information is provided to a reputable credit bureau or similar reporting agency; or (4) the law requires it, such as a subpoena.  We do not provide account or personal information to outside companies for the purpose of independent telemarketing or direct mail marketing of any non-financial products or services of those companies.  All vendors, service companies and other companies that have access to your confidential information, or with whom we share your personal information, are contractually obligated to comply with strict standards regarding security and confidentiality.  The shared information can be used only for the sole purpose of providing the service we have requested the company to perform.  
 
8. Closed Accounts
If you decide to close your account(s) or become an inactive customer, we will continue to adhere to the privacy policies and practices described in this notice.  
 
9. Disclosing Our Privacy Principles to You
We have prepared this Privacy Policy so that you can understand our commitment to your personal privacy and our use of the information you give us.

10. Exception For Joint Servicing Agreements
We may only share information with other financial institutions with which we have a joint servicing or marketing agreement.  These services may include marketing of our own products or services or marketing of financial products or services offered pursuant to joint agreements between Midwest Bank and one or more financial institutions.  In these situations, we may disclose non-public personal information described above in the section titled “Collecting, Using and Retaining Information About You.”

What You Can Do to Protect Your Privacy

We want you to understand how all of these things preserve our bank’s ability to serve you the way you expect and deserve.  Being able to share customer information inside our company or with business partners means we can give you the best possible products and services at reasonable prices.  It means convenience for you, the customer.  You can choose what you want and need, and know it has our backing, and our service and follow-through.  
 
This information sharing also means we can track and stop fraudulent and criminal activity in a fast and effective manner.  Managing your information responsibly is an important component in our ability to continue to provide you the best service possible.  It keeps us aware of your current relationship as well as what products and services we can recommend that may assist you, as your financial needs change. 
Sharing information within the bank or with trusted business partners helps us suggest the best services and products for your use, from safe deposit boxes and CDs to home equity and college loans or mortgages and mutual funds.  We hope you will agree that this kind of information sharing is a “win-win” for consumers and for banks.  
 
In addition, there are steps you, as consumers, can take to help protect your information.  Just as banks combine many safeguards to meet the challenge of the new information age, you can, too.  Here are a few consumer tips for privacy protection, developed by the American Bankers Association.

• Do not give out your Social Security number or personal credit information over the phone.  

• Tear up or shred receipts, bank statements and unused credit card offers.

• Keep track of your mail, noticing if something such as a statement or a check is missing.  Do not mail bills from your own mailbox; drop them in a post box or at the post office.  

• Review your credit report annually, making sure to report and correct mistakes.  

• Ensure that the companies you do business with are reputable, especially on the Internet.

• Keep your browser’s padlock or key icon active when doing business online.

• Do not open e-mail from unknown sources.  

• Use virus detection software.

• Protect your PINS (personal identification numbers) and passwords.  Change them often.  Use letters along with numbers.

• Report any suspected fraud to us and to the fraud units of credit reporting agencies.  

• Contact our Personal Bankers whenever you have a concern or question about the privacy of your personal financial information.

If you would like to reduce the amount of advertising you receive from companies other than the Midwest Bank of Western Illinois and its affiliate, you can write to the following agencies:
 
For advertising received by mail:
 
Mail Preference Service
C/o Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY  11735-9008
 
For advertising received via telephone:
Telephone Preference Service
C/o Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY  11735-9014

Please be sure to include complete information about each name, address and telephone number that you would like to have excluded from national advertising lists.  If you have moved within the past year, you should also include your old address and phone number.  The same is true for name changes and the addresses and phone number associated with each name.  
 
You can also request to have your name removed from pre-approved credit solicitation lists maintained by various credit bureaus by calling 1-888-567-8688.  
 
Midwest Bank of Western Illinois and its affiliate:
 
The following is a list of the Midwest Bank of Western Illinois and its affiliate as of June 1, 2011.  This policy applies to the bank and its affiliate.  
 
Midwest Bank of Western Illinois
(309) 734-2265
Toll free 1-888-309-2265
 
Porter Insurance Agency, Inc.
(309) 482-6111
 
Revision dated 6-24-09
Approved by MBWI Board 06-24-09