Washington Trust Marketing Officer Completes ABA Bank Marketing and Management School

August 16, 2007 (Westerly, RI). . . Christy L. Birchell, marketing officer for The Washington Trust Company, recently graduated from the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Upon completion of the school, students are eligible to sit for an exam administered by the Institute of Certified Bankers. Birchell completed the exam successfully and earned the designation of Certified Financial Marketing Professional.

The two-year program provides marketers, managers and specialists with a one-of-a-kind education under the guidance and direction of faculty advisors comprised of distinguished marketing professionals. Students develop strategies to promote new products and received a solid foundation in marketing principles and management practices. Birchell, a resident of Westerly, R.I., joined the Bank in 1996 in the mortgage department and transferred to the Bank’s marketing department in 1998. She was promoted to marketing officer in 2004 and is responsible for desktop publishing, print and direct mail production for newsletters, brochures, posters and in branch displays. She also designs and produces sales material, presentations and promotional items for the business development teams.

The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $2.4 billion corporation headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the largest independent bank and the oldest community bank in the nation, headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including business banking, personal banking, and wealth management and trust services, through its offices located in Rhode Island, southeastern Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation’s common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.