Slam dunk for HBS Bank with Hawks deal

The HBS Bank plans to put some extra spring into the Hawks' coming NBL campaign after confirming a new three-year, naming-rights sponsorship agreement with their local team.
The announcement follows HBS' merger with SBS Bank last October, which included a commitment to give $100,000 back to the Hawke's Bay community every year for the next five years.
HBS Bank Hawks owner Rod Earnshaw said the new relationship was outstanding. The club had been focusing on local talent by recruiting Paul Henare as coach and enticing Hawke's Bay players such as Paora Winitana, Arthur Trousdell and Aidan Daly to return to the region. The commitment from HBS Bank completed the Hawke's Bay family.
HBS Bank manager Blair Cross said his team was proud to establish the community-focused sponsorship.
"Our long-term partnership with the HBS Bank Hawks is a perfect community fit for us because we're all about supporting local," Mr Cross said. "The HBS Bank Hawks are one of the region's most successful teams and we'll certainly look forward to getting behind them and helping spur them on towards this year's NBL season final."
The sponsorship would also help the HBS Bank Hawks in Schools programme.
"Whether it's partnering events like HBS Bank Christmas in the Park, the Hastings Business Awards and Art Deco Weekend or supporting local community groups such as The Napier Family Centre, Child Cancer Foundation or the Alzheimers Society, just to name a few, we are just as passionate about each and every sponsorship, no matter what size or what part of the community it benefits.
The HBS Bank Hawks begin their NBL quest against the Taranaki Mountain Airs at Pettigrew-Green Arena on April 15.