Edward Handy assumes role of Chairman & CEO and Mark Gim of President & COO

WESTERLY, R.I., March 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., (NASDAQ:WASH) has completed its previously announced executive leadership transition. Effective immediately, Edward O. Handy, III has assumed the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and the Bank, and Mark K.W. Gim has assumed the role of President and Chief Operating Officer. Their appointments follow the March 2nd retirement of Joseph J. MarcAurele as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Handy served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Washington Trust since November of 2013. In his new role, he leads a team of more than 600 employees dedicated to providing a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management and trust services through Washington Trust offices located throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. 

“Washington Trust has a long, proud history as America’s oldest community bank and has attained an outstanding track record of success over the past two centuries,” Handy stated. “I am honored to assume the role of CEO of this remarkable organization and look forward to leading Washington Trust into the next chapter.”

Gim joined Washington Trust in September of 1993 and most recently served as Senior Executive Vice President of Wealth Management and Chief Strategy Officer. Through his leadership of Washington Trust Wealth Management, from 2013 to 2017, wealth management assets under administration grew from $4.8 to $6.7 billion. In his new role, Gim is responsible for corporate strategic planning and daily operations of the Company’s key business lines, including Retail Banking, Mortgage and Consumer Lending, and Wealth Management.

Gim noted, “Washington Trust’s continued success is attributable to our commitment to our employees, our customers, our shareholders, and the communities we serve. My goal is to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our key constituents by providing the highest value of financial products and customer services.”  

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC.
Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. is the parent of The Washington Trust Company, with $4.5 billion in assets as of December 31, 2017. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast’s premier financial services companies. Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management and trust services through its offices located in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation’s common stock trades on NASDAQ under the symbol WASH. Investor information is available on the Corporation’s web site at www.washtrustbancorp.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Elizabeth B. Eckel
SVP, Marketing & Investor Relations
401.348.1309
ebeckel@washtrust.com