Washington Trust Donates $100,000 To Westerly Higher Education and Job Skills Center

March 22, 2017

Westerly, RI - Washington Trust chairman and CEO Joseph MarcAurele, Washington Trust president and COO Edward Handy and Washington Trust senior vice president Dennis Algiere presented a $100,000 check to Amy Grzybowski, executive director of the Westerly Education Center, and Neil Steinberg, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, on behalf of the Washington Trust Charitable Foundation. The donation represents a multi-year commitment to support the Westerly Higher Education and Job Skills Center, which opened in January 2017.

"Because of Washington Trust's support of the Center, thousands of women and men in need of workforce and skills training will know a better future for themselves and their families as a result of the access to quality education provided to them," said Grzybowski. "We are truly grateful for the investment Washington Trust has made in their futures and ours."

“Washington Trust’s very generous commitment to the Center will support the growth of this important educational and skills training facility initiated by the Royce family,” said Steinberg. “Students are already attending the classes and training that will create the workforce necessary for manufacturers like Electric Boat to expand and thrive.” The Rhode Island Foundation accepted the donation on behalf of the charity that was created to support the project.

The Center is an innovative facility designed to bring together higher education, business, industry, and community partners to serve the workforce and community needs of southwestern Rhode Island and the State. The 34,500-square-foot facility will be the base for providing high-quality educational programs in key sectors to meet projected workforce growth in the region. The anchor tenant is the Community College of Rhode Island in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat.

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation provides charitable grants to 501(c)3 organizations whose work benefits the communities served by the bank.

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST®
Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation 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 Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., (NASDAQ: WASH). Additional information on Washington Trust and its subsidiaries can be found at https://www.washtrust.com/.

PHOTO CAPTION (from left to right): Amy Grzybowski, executive director, Westerly Education Center, Edward Handy, Washington Trust president and COO, Joseph MarcAurele, Washington Trust chairman and CEO, Neil Steinberg, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation and Dennis Algiere, Washington Trust senior vice president at the Westerly Higher Education and Job Skills Center.