Staff Writer

Community members honored Joel Stevens during a memorial service at South Congregational Church in Kennebunkport Saturday.

Stevens, former president and chief executive officer of Kennebunk Savings Bank, died Feb. 20 at age 67. Kennebunk Savings Bank Assistant Vice President Heather Harris said Stevens was hired for the position in 1993, working for the bank until he retired in 2006.

 “When Joel came to the bank, it was in a difficult financial situation,” Harris said. “He put together a code of ethics for employees to adopt. It set the standard of the type of people who work here.”

The “Cultural Charter” was just the first of many actions Stevens instituted to improve Kennebunk Savings Bank and support the community, Harris said. She said Stevens established the Community Investment Program, was a member of the Huntington Commons Charitable Fund board of directors and was an active volunteer with community nonprofits such as United Way and York County Community Action. 

Through the Community Investment Program, the bank dedicated 10 percent of their budget to benefit local non-profit organizations, donating to date nearly $7 million, Harris said. As part of the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation, the Huntington Commons Charitable Fund was created after the non-profit organization running Huntington Commons sold the establishment to a for-profit company, she said and the nearly $3.5 million in proceeds from the sale was placed in a fund to be distributed to various community organizations that benefited seniors in York County. Stevens remained on the board for the fund even after he retired, helping decide which organizations should receive funds, Harris said.  

Mary Barry, who was Steven’s executive assistant for the 13 years he worked at Kennebunk Savings Bank, said he “was such a good man with such a big heart.”

“I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with Joel,” Barry said. “He connected so well with the employees, touched so many of their lives and in turn the employees had so much love and respect for him.”

Barry said Stevens was “instrumental” in changing the culture of Kennebunk Savings Bank with his leadership and creating a positive work environment. 

“As an institution Kennebunk Savings is beyond saddened by the loss of Joel,” Brad Paige, the banks’ president and chief executive officer said. “Joel was responsible for the effective rebirth of Kennebunk Savings Bank when he began in 1993. He brought with him a vision of what a community bank should be – a financially sound institution with an unwavering commitment to its customers, its communities, and its employees.”

Paige said Stevens committed his own efforts to nonprofits and encouraged others at the bank to become involved in their communities.

“He didn’t just give money, he gave his time too,” Harris said. 

“Joel was a business person who really understood social responsibility and he was an incredible community leader,” United Way President and Chief Executive Officer Kathryn Davis said. 

Stevens served on the board of directors for United Way of York County and was honored in 2006 with the non-profit organization’s highest recognition, the Kittredge Award, for his service and donations, Davis said. 

“He was widely and wildly respected,” Davis said. “He was an extraordinary man and certainly will be missed.”