AUGUSTA — At its annual awards luncheon, the Small Business Administration’s Maine District Office recognized Bangor Savings Bank as the top lender in three categories in 2011: Top Performing 7(a) Lender, Overall Top Dollar Volume Lender, and Top Performing Third Party Lender.

In 2011, Bangor Savings Bank provided nearly $15 million in loans to 68 new or existing small businesses. This was the first time a single lending institution was honored for leading in all categories.

According to data released by the Small Business Administration’s Maine District Office, Bangor Savings Bank was also the overall top lender during the first quarter of 2012. Between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31, 2012, Bangor Savings made 19 small business loans totaling more than $2 million.

The SBA’s definition of a small business is one employing fewer than 500 workers. According to 2008 data, there are 147,484 small businesses in Maine, accounting for 59.7 percent of all  private sector jobs in the state.

Bangor Savings Bank, founded in 1852, is in its 160th year of service to the people of Maine, with 56 branches, including Dixfield, Farmington, Lewiston, Monmouth and Rumford, and on the Web at www.bangor.com.