FIRSTMERIT BANK CHOOSES THE EDCOMM GROUP TO DELIVER BSA/AML COMPLIANCE TRAINING

(NEW YORK, NY) – April 6, 2006

FirstMerit Bank chooses The Edcomm Group to deliver customized BSA/AML compliance training for the following groups: Retail, Commercial, Mortgage, Trust, Investment Banking, Corporate & Administration, Board of Directors/Senior Management and International. First Merit Bank also chose to implement Edcomm’s own LMS, Learning Link® for hosting and maintenance.

Focus on Compliance, a computer-based, distance-learning program, can be delivered via Internet, Intranet or CD-ROM. The program teaches banking compliance using easy-to-understand language in an interactive, self-paced format. Participants learn from their own perspective, with a curriculum customized to their position. Focus on Compliance covers: Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), USA PATRIOT Act, and OFAC, among others. The program also includes a quick reference guide to all banking regulations, as well as a glossary of terms and a library of reference materials.

Learning Link®, Edcomm’s full-featured learning management system has an open architecture that builds on industry-standard SCORM and AICC compliance, but adds features and capabilities far beyond any competing products. Learning Link® maintains a complete record of every learning and administrative activity and offers a wide variety of customizable, real-time reports available both onscreen and in CSV formats for download and integration into any HR system. Learning Link’s servers have been issued a SAS-70 attesting to the quality of their security, business continuity and performance.

For more information about programs like these, or to find out how The Edcomm Group can customize any training program, log onto www.bankersacademy.com.

FirstMerit Bank has been serving Northwestern Ohio for over 155 years. FirstMerit has 157 banking offices in 22 Ohio and Western Pennsylvania counties, and assets of $10.5 billion. They deliver all the products and services of a big bank, yet meet the needs of individual customers and communities in a personal way.

The Edcomm Group has had the privilege of assisting many distinguished clients with business solutions in the form of eLearning programs, classroom instruction, multimedia production and online and print based documentation. In addition to the development of customized programs, The Edcomm Group offers many banking specific off-the-shelf products such as Teller Training and Compliance Training that have proven themselves effective in organizations around the world.

The Edcomm Group is a 19-year-old multimedia education and communication consulting firm specializing in the development of creative business solutions that improve productivity, customer service and market share — providing bottom-line results. The Edcomm Group (www.edcomm.com), (www.bankersacademy.com) is headquartered in New York City with an Advanced Design Center located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

For more information, please contact:

Linda Eagle
President, The Edcomm Group
1-888-4EDCOMM
linda.eagle@edcomm.com