Name


Media Contact (Connecticut and New York) Media Contact (Rhode Island and Massachusetts)

Sarah Barr, 203-578-2287 Brenda Greene, 401-228-2083

sbarr@websterbank.com bgreene@websterbank.com


Webster Bank Celebrates 80 Years of Living Up to Customers


WATERBURY, Conn., October 9, 2015 - Happy 80th Anniversary, Webster Bank. On Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, Webster will mark 80 years since its founding in a small office in Waterbury, Conn. But to get the party started, Webster kicked off the commemoration today, Oct. 9, with a day of celebration at all 163 Webster banking centers and 14 hub sites in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and HSA Bank in Wisconsin.


Webster Bank took a moment to look back in order to look ahead. Founded during the Great Depression, Harold Webster Smith borrowed $25,000 from family and friends to start up the bank. Because he was the sole employee initially and the bank grew slowly in the early years, it was known around the city as 'Harold's Bank.' The bank was officially renamed Webster Bank 20 years ago to honor Harold Webster Smith.


'We have come so far since 1935,' said Jim Smith, son of Harold Webster Smith, and only the second chairman and chief executive officer of the bank. 'While our mission has evolved and our footprint has expanded, the core values handed down by my father have endured and guide us every day in service to our customers and communities.'


Smith visited the fifth grade class at Children's Community School in Waterbury - the class Webster has sponsored since Kindergarten; Smith then met with bankers and customers at the Reidville Drive banking center in Waterbury; refreshments were served at all banking centers and hub sites throughout Webster's footprint and proclamations from several elected and appointed officials were presented. Smith also visited Webster customer Post University in Waterbury, where he received a gift from Scott Allen, chief financial officer, and met with faculty members and students.


The celebration of Webster Bank's 80th anniversary will continue through early next summer including:

  • Special Anniversary-themed product offers;

  • Framed copies for hub site lobbies and banking center managers' offices of the 'First Loan Completed Today' photo of Harold Webster Smith delivering the first loan to a customer on the steps of his new home (see attached);

  • Special giveaways for customers and bankers;

  • A banker volunteer initiative, '80 Days of Giving,' which launches Oct. 11 and offers bankers the opportunity to earn $1,000 for the nonprofit 501c3 of their choice; and

  • #Celebrate80 is the social media hash tag.


Webster Bank is a leading regional bank in the northeast.


About Webster

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A. With $23.6 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgages, private banking, trust and investment services through 163 banking offices; 316 ATMs; telephone banking; mobile banking; and the Internet. Webster Bank owns the asset based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation; the equipment finance firm Webster Capital Finance Corporation; and provides health savings account trustee and administrative services through HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank. Member FDIC and equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com or follow us on LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/company/webster-bank and Twitter https://twitter.com/WebsterBank.
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