Michael P. Daly Elected Berkshire Hills Chairman; Lawrence A. Bossidy Elected Lead Independent Director

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

today announced that President and CEO Michael P. Daly has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors effective on January 1, 2013.  The Board has also elected current Chairman Lawrence A. Bossidy to the new position of Lead Independent Director effective on the same day.  Identical elections of Messrs. Daly and Bossidy were made by the Board of Berkshire Bank, the banking subsidiary of Berkshire Hills Bancorp.