Customized

retirement plan

solutions for

your bank.

It’s easier with EPIC.

How? Find out more…

Life is less complicated

with EPIC on your

team. Expanding

your retirement plan

business is more

effi cient, too.

What?You’ll have support with all aspects of your retirement plan business and we’ll help you make your plan sponsors happy and incredibly satisfi ed. You’ll benefi t from exceptional customer

service with plan administration,

recordkeeping, compliance, and

documents, whether you utilize your

in-house trust services, or fully outsource

custody and paying agent services.

Plus, EPIC has the fl exibility to work

with your product and service model,

rather than forcing you into a one-

size-fi ts-all solution. Since EPIC

was founded specifi cally to serve

bank trust departments, our team

understands the complexities of the

trust market, as well as the fi duciary

responsibilities and challenges you face.

What sets us apart is the fact that EPIC is

much more than a recordkeeper — EPIC

is a partner that helps you grow your

business. With a recordkeeping system and

trading platforms that integrate seamlessly

with your trust system, as well as with sub-

custody trust solutions such as Charles

Schwab Trust Company, MG Trust,

Reliance Trust Company and others, EPIC

off ers the options to meet your needs.

Overall, EPIC’s goals are to make your

life easier, to enhance your visibility

in the marketplace, and to increase

your plan sponsors’ satisfaction.

Get ready for a new way to move

your business forward… the easy,

effi cient, eff ective way with EPIC.

How?First, your EPIC team listens, to fully comprehend

your business goals and challenges. Based on

your needs, EPIC then delivers a partial or fully

outsourced program that’s right for you.

Th at’s really just the beginning. Every member of the

EPIC team wants you to succeed — so essentially,

your objectives become EPIC’s objectives.

▶ You’ll discover a partner who develops marketing

initiatives and sales materials personalized

with your branding and logo to help you

increase business. EPIC will help you develop

a targeted sales plan and provide you with

branded materials that are ready to print.

▶ You’ll have a dedicated service team with managers

who have worked in banks and retirement services

companies and who understand the challenges

you face. Th is expertise is why over 60 fi nancial

services organizations across the country use

EPIC for their clients’ 401(k) recordkeeping.

▶ You’ll gain an advantage in the competitive

retirement plan marketplace because EPIC provides

solutions that are customized to meet your needs.

EPIC’s consultative approach ensures that your

product gets delivered your way, to your market.

When?You name the date. We’ll be there.

Dedicated, Experienced Partners When you choose EPIC, you gain a true partner.

Working together with you, EPIC delivers superior

retirement plan services to your clients and

provides strategies to help you succeed.

As an EPIC client, you have a strategic partnership

advisor who provides forward-thinking solutions to

help you increase profi tability and grow your business.

Th is professional consults with you on your business

model, your sales needs, and your investment product.

You also benefi t from a dedicated client service

team, who oversees the day-to-day administrative

needs and service standards of your plan clients.

EPIC service team members complete extensive training

and have earned advanced certifi cations from American

Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA)

and other organizations. As a result, your service team is

highly knowledgeable, effi cient, fully versed in the latest

technologies, and well-informed about current regulations.

In addition, you have around-the-clock access to a fi nancial

consultant website for review of your client plans, as well as

the EPIC Partner Tools website, where you can download

sales tools, alert bulletins, newsletters, and administrative

materials. To provide the best support for your business,

the EPIC service model was designed around keeping you

informed and in touch with every part of the process.

Exceptional ServiceYou can count on effi cient, eff ective service from EPIC.Whether you are looking for

recordkeeping alone or a total retirement

plan solution, EPIC delivers. You

can retain custody of assets, or EPIC

can provide off -site custody of assets

and paying agent services. Th rough a

historic policy of full fee disclosure,

EPIC delivers a fair and honest approach

to the delivery of all plan services.

Multiple Trade Platforms & Open Architecture To provide you with options, EPIC delivers open-

architecture investment trading with interfaces between

the most widely used trading platforms and trust/custody

systems in the industry. Th ese sophisticated system

interfaces have been integral to EPIC’s success in serving

fi nancial institutions. EPIC’s open-architecture allows for

unbiased support of mutual funds, investment portfolio

models (such as your proprietary fund of funds), and

company stock. With EPIC’s fl exibility, you are able to

deliver your investment programs or take advantage of a

self-directed brokerage window and group annuity options.

With these automated trade platforms, you benefi t from:

▶ higher levels of effi ciency and automation,

▶ expedited daily trade settlements,

▶ daily refresh back to trust systems, and

▶ better participant servicing and reporting.

Daily Valuation AdministrationWould you like to transition your

existing daily valuation plans or move

your balance-forward business into the

daily-valuation environment? Let EPIC’s

experienced technical staff help you

transfer your clients’ 401(k) plans quickly

and effi ciently. If you are looking to reduce

your administrative burden, EPIC can

relieve your organization of complex,

time-consuming records management.

Top Technology Th e advantages of working with EPIC include having

access to the latest technology. Your plan sponsors

and their participants can utilize a website fully

branded with your logo and colors, fi lled with accurate

account information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Th e website can be directly linked from your corporate

website. Th rough the website, participants can:

▶ enroll in the plan,

▶ review account balances,

▶ manage their investments,

▶ change deferral percentages,

▶ request distributions,

▶ model and request loans, and more.

Plan sponsors are able to access all plan and participant

account information through the Internet. Th e

website features a wide range of tools, including:

▶ online participant messaging,

▶ real-time plan level activity and

management reports,

▶ online submission and monitoring

of payroll contribution fi les,

▶ participant level inquiry access

and maintenance activities.

EPIC’s voice response system provides superior 24-hour,

7-day access through a 1-800 telephone number. Callers

can also reach the Participant Service Center to speak

with a bilingual professional during normal business

hours. For current information at your fi ngertips, count

on EPIC technology to make it happen all day, every day.

Compliance and Document ServicesThird-party administration is part of our core recordkeeping services. To ensure your plans are in compliance

with all laws and regulations, the EPIC

team delivers complete compliance

testing and documentation on an

annual basis. In addition, EPIC provides

electronic signature and fi ling-ready

Form 5500s. Consultative support is

provided to prevent testing failures and

off er corrective solutions, if necessary.

With the McKay-Hochman Defi ned

Contribution Prototype Plan Document,

EPIC delivers complete prototype

document services, including plan design

consultation, document management, plan

amendments, and restatements. Th ere’s no

requirement that you use EPIC’s document

services, but it is one more way EPIC

can reduce your administrative burden.

Multiple

services or

only one, the

choice is yours.

Secure OperationsWith EPIC’s unique understand-

ing of banking and bank trust

operations, you can be assured

that our internal controls meet

the strictest standards.

Our business recovery plan is extremely

thorough, assuring you of ongoing

recordkeeping and administrative services,

even if a local, regional, or national disaster

occurs. Our Six Sigma principles ensure

that EPIC service, security, and compliance

will satisfy you, your plan sponsor clients,

and their employees.

In addition to an annual SSAE 16

(formerly SAS70) audit, the following

additional audits are conducted:

▶ Network Security Assessment**

▶ NBT Internal Audit**

▶ IBM Internal Penetration Testing

▶ IBM External Penetration Testing

▶ Information Systems

General Controls**

▶ SEC Audit as Transfer Agent

(at least once every 5 years)

**NBT Bancorp, Inc. internal auditors

conduct these examinations. All others are

conducted by independent auditors.

Investment Services AlternativeTh rough a partnership with PlanTools™ and NBT Bancorp,

EPIC brings you the process, tools, and reports that enable

you to easily select and monitor investments for your

plan sponsor clients. Th e Investment Services* off ering

is a comprehensive research, screening, and review

process based on best practices, so you can feel confi dent

of the effi ciency and eff ectiveness of the program.

EPIC maintains your investment selection criteria

and provides a recommended fund list. Th rough

the analytical power and experience of PlanTools,

you are provided with the tools for individual plan

management, from development of the Investment

Policy Statement to delivery of Quarterly Monitoring

Reports, which include documented exceptions,

fund actions, and fund changes for your clients.

Your organization can leverage our procedures

and tools, yet brand the deliverables as your own.

When you implement this program, you’ll be

confi dent knowing that your fi duciary obligations

for investment due diligence are fully satisfi ed.

*Investment Services provided by NBT Bancorp, Inc., which

was named the 11th most successful bank in 2010 by Forbes

magazine. EPIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of NBT

Financial Services, a subsidiary of NBT Bancorp, Inc.

Participant Investment Support Participant education is more important than

ever, especially with frequently changing federal

regulations. To meet this need, EPIC provides

ongoing support and communication tools for

your plan sponsors, as well as their employees.

Th rough quarterly newsletters and annual plan

demographic and investment reports, employers can

clearly gauge the success of their retirement program.

When education isn’t enough, investment guidance, advice,

and management services are available for participants.

Th rough MasteryPOINT Financial Technologies and

MP Advisory Services, LLC, plan participants can

access one of two programs to help. Th e MasteryPOINT

GuidancePlus module provides online investment

education and guidance, while the AdvicePlus

program off ers more investment specifi c advice.

EPIC also off ers a more sophisticated participant

investment management product from Stadion Money

Management, Inc. Stadion is available as a Qualifi ed

Default Investment Alternative or QDIA. Created by

the Pension Protection Act of 2006, a QDIA allows

plan sponsors to receive a signifi cant level of fi duciary

protection for defaulting participants into professionally

managed investments. With Stadion’s retirement

account management plan, participants benefi t from:

▶ active account management that not only chooses

the investments, but can also choose to reduce

equity exposure altogether when it makes sense;

▶ the opportunity to adjust portfolios by

overriding age-based designations; and

▶ personalized service, including a direct

contact to Stadion by phone or e-mail.

Marketing & Sales SupportDo you want to expand your retirement

plan business? EPIC can make your

job easier with prospecting, sales, and

marketing support programs. From

developing custom sales plans, to writing

proposal/RFP responses, EPIC provides

you with effi cient, eff ective support. You’ll

also benefi t from our annual Sales Users

Group conference, Business-in-a-Box

selling strategies, and a Partner Tool Kit.

You will have the advantage of adopting

proven creative strategies and receiving

consultative support from EPIC’s sales,

marketing, and relationship teams.

Comprehensive Capabilities EPIC’s capabilities support numerous defi ned

contribution plan types, including 401(k), Roth 401(k),

profi t sharing, money purchase pension, ERISA

403(b), ERISA Roth 403(b), 457, ESOP, and non-

qualifi ed DC. Comprehensive capabilities include:

▶ Accurate, timely participant recordkeeping

▶ Comprehensive plan administration

▶ Daily and balance forward valuation

▶ Flexible prototype plan documents

▶ Compliance testing and 5500 preparation

▶ Seamless plan conversion support

▶ Participant investment education and services

▶ Optional custody and paying agency services

▶ Timely plan sponsor and participant reporting

▶ Prompt distribution of assets

▶ Fast funds transfer and rebalancing

▶ Loan and hardship payment calculations

▶ Required minimum distribution calculations

▶ 24/7 web-based and voice system

account access for participants

▶ 24/7 web-based plan and participant

inquiry access for plan sponsor

▶ Toll-free bilingual participant service center

Why Choose EPIC?Get to know EPIC Advisors, Inc. and you’ll see how easy it is to manage your existing retire-ment plans and capitalize on future opportunities. With extensive sales support, marketing

materials personalized with your logo,

and team members who have broad

knowledge from their careers in banking

and related fi elds, you’ll fi nd that working

with EPIC is simply easier. Plus, you

can count on an outsourcing program

that is customized to meet the needs

of your bank and your plan sponsors.

Let EPIC Help YouA partnership with EPIC means

you can focus on providing a highly

personalized retirement plan service

to your corporate clients and their

employees, while EPIC does the work.

To learn more about a relationship with

EPIC, contact us with your questions.

EPIC Advisors, Inc.

150 State Street, Suite 200

Rochester, NY 14614

585-232-9060, ext. 180

Sales@epic1st.com

www.epic1st.com

Get the EPIC

advantage...

easier, effi cient,

eff ective retirement

plan services.

150 State Street, Suite 200

Rochester, New York 14614

www.EPIC1st.com

585-232-9060