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                      [BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP LETTERHEAD]


          BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP ANNOUNCES ANNUAL MEETING RESULTS;
                 PRESIDENT/CEO REPORTS ON 37% EARNINGS GROWTH
                           AND 20% LOAN GROWTH IN 2006

PITTSFIELD, MA - May 4, 2007 - Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BHLB), the
holding company for Berkshire Bank, held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders on
May 3, 2007 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Four members of the Board of Directors were elected to three-year terms: John B.
Davies, formerly Executive Vice President of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company and now Agent Emeritus; Rodney C. Dimock, Principal at Arrow Capital,
LLC and formerly President of Cornerstone Properties; Edward G. McCormick,
Managing Partner of the law firm of McCormick, Murtagh, & Marcus; and David E.
Phelps, President and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. Each will serve until the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2010. Stockholders also voted to ratify the
appointment of Wolf & Company, P.C. as the independent auditors for 2007.

Michael P. Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer, addressed the meeting.
He reported on the Company's 37% earnings growth and higher core earnings in
2006. Mr. Daly noted that the Company's branch expansion in the past two and a
half years was matched in numbers and percent by only a handful of other banks
nationally. Major initiatives in 2006 included completion of the integration of
acquired Woronoco operations, the de novo branch expansion in the New York
region, and the acquisition of five affiliated insurance agencies. As of
year-end 2006, the Company's five-year total return on its stock exceeded both
its broad market and industry comparative indices.

Mr. Daly also reviewed the Company's expectations for growth in 2007 as it
progresses in building its culture as "America's Most Exciting Bank"SM. He
commented on the Company's engaging environment where employees want to work and
customers want to do business. He reviewed the 20% loan growth and 11% deposit
growth recorded in 2006, and expectations for more double digit growth in 2007.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Berkshire Bank -
America's Most Exciting BankSM. Established in 1846, Berkshire Bank is one of
Massachusetts' oldest and largest independent banks and the largest banking
institution based in Western Massachusetts. The Bank is headquartered in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts with branches serving communities throughout Western
Massachusetts and Northeastern New York. The Bank is transitioning into a
regional bank and is positioning itself as the financial institution of choice
in its retail and commercial markets, delivering exceptional customer service
and a broad array of competitively priced deposit, loan, insurance, wealth
management and trust services, and investment products. For more information on
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. or Berkshire Bank, visit www.berkshirebank.com or
call 800-773-5601.


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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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Statements contained in this news release contain forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of management. Since
these statements reflect the views of management concerning future events, these
statements involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. These risks and
uncertainties include among others: changes in market interest rates and general
and regional economic conditions; changes in government regulations; changes in
accounting principles; the quality or composition of the loan and investment
portfolios; and the achievement of anticipated future earnings benefits from
recent acquisitions. In addition, the following factors, among others, could
cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other
expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: adverse governmental
or regulatory policies may be enacted; the risks associated with continued
diversification of assets and adverse changes to credit quality; and
difficulties associated with achieving expected future financial results.
Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in the Company's
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, and
September 30 and in its annual report on Form 10-K, each filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at the Securities and
Exchange Commission's internet website (www.sec.gov) and to which reference is
hereby made. Therefore, actual future results may differ significantly from
results discussed in these forward-looking statements and undue reliance should
not be placed on such statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update
any forward-looking statements.


CONTACT
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David H. Gonci,
Corporate Finance Officer
413-281-1973