Northwest Savings Bank ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the Mid-Atlantic Region, according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study.

The study, conducted quarterly from April 2013 to January 2014 and released in May, analyzed the overall satisfaction customers have with their retail banking experience based on account activities, account information, facility, fees, problem resolution and product offering.

The Mid-Atlantic Region includes Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Northwest Savings was ranked highest from 2010 to 2012.

The bank also was recently named to the 2014 Bank Honor Roll by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and included on Forbes' 2014 list of the Top 50 Most Trustworthy Financial Companies in America.

Northwest Savings Bank, based in Warren County, operates 165 branches in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Maryland. It has four offices in Butler County.

Howie Pentony, an independent financial adviser affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and the client portfolio manager of Pentony Capital Management in Saxonburg, achieved Commonwealth Business Experience status for 2014.The distinction recognizes successful financial services professionals based on a ranking of annual production among Commonwealth's network of nearly 1,500 advisers.

The Butler Transit Authority will once again offer a summer discount pass for students.The $25 pass is valid starting Tuesday and running through Labor Day.Students can take the bus to Alameda Park, Father Marinaro Park, various shopping centers around town, and to the Clearview Mall.All authority buses are equipped with bike racks for those who want to bike part of their trip.A brief video on how to use the rack can be viewed on the authority's website, www.butlertransit.comPasses can be purchased at the bus terminal at 113 E. Cunningham St. The summer pass is valid for students in high school grades and younger.Students will be asked to show a recent report card to obtain the summer pass.

Three local businesses are linked to a winning entry in an international interior design competition.The reception and common areas of the office of Accurate Solutions Group won first place in the commercial category of the Decorating Den Interiors International Dream Room competition.Accurate Solutions Group is a financial planning and wealth management firm in Butler Township owned by Curt Knotick.Marie Feltz, owner of the Decorating Den Interiors franchise in Meadville, provided the design concepts and furnishings.Bob Napoleton, owner of Napoleton Photography in Butler, took the photographs entered into the competition.The contest was held in early May during Decorating Den Interiors' annual conference in San Diego. Decorating Den is North America's largest interior and home furnishing franchise company.Feltz accepted the award during the conference.There were more than 250 entries in 12 different room categories.

NEW YORK — Visa and MasterCard are renewing a push to speed the adoption of microchips into U.S. credit and debit cards in the wake of recent high-profile data breaches, including this week's revelation that hackers stole consumer data from eBay's computer systems.Card processing companies argue that a move away from the black magnetic strips on the backs of credit cards would eliminate a substantial amount of U.S. credit card fraud. They say it's time to offer U.S. consumers the greater protections microchips provide by joining Canada, Mexico and most of Western Europe in using cards with the more advanced technology.