FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Elizabeth Eckel, SVP Marketing, 401-348-1309
DATE: August 16, 2005

Washington Trust Hires New V. P. Mortgage Lending Officer and Mortgage Originator

Westerly, Rhode Island... Washington Trust recently hired Christopher Ferreira, of Bristol, R.I. as assistant vice president, mortgage lending officer and Antoanet C. Sialer, of Providence, R.I. as a mortgage originator.

Ferreira, who works out of the Bank's Warwick office located at 236 Centerville Road, brings over 13 years of banking experience with him. He is responsible for originating residential mortgages for consumers and providing mortgage financing solutions for residential real estate through conventional, FHA, WA, and RIHMFC loans. Ferreira also handles construction and rehabilitation loans.

Ferreira, who resides with his family in Bristol, R.I., is a graduate of Roger Williams College.

Sialer brings more than 11 years of lending experience with her to Washington Trust. She is responsible for initiating the mortgage applications process with customers and interviewing and qualifying customers for mortgages.

Siler, a resident of Providence, R.I., volunteers for the Lord of Miracles and is a member of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

The Washington Trust Company is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including wealth management, through its 16 branch offices located in Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Founded in 1800, the Bank is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., whose common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.