January 29, 2008 (Westerly, Rhode Island). . . The Washington Trust Company announces the following employee promotions:
Rebekah A. Freyer has been promoted to assistant vice president, in-store branch manager. She joined the Bank in 1997 as a PRO-Team Associate, and then joined the in-store staff as Financial Service Representative later that year. Freyer was promoted to Assistant Branch Manager of the Mystic McQuades branch in 2001, and to Branch Manager of the Mystic A&P office in 2002. She is responsible for managing the daily operations of the branch, developing and motivating her staff, and growing the branch's deposit base and loan portfolio. Freyer holds an Associate's Degree from Three Rivers Community College, and is currently pursuing her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Connecticut.
Brenda I. Hopcus, of Mystic Conn., has been promoted to officer and in-store branch manager. Hopcus joined the Bank in 2002 with more than 20 years of banking and management experience. She began as manager of the Mystic McQuades branch and then transferred to the Westerly McQuades branch in May 2007. Hopcus is responsible for establishing and maintaining organizational structure, and ensuring that both employees and the branch accomplish growth and profit through the cross selling of branch services. She is an active volunteer in the local community events, such as Taste of Mystic and The Mystic Art Festival. Hopcus has taken numerous courses from the American Institute of Banking and Center for Financial Training. She is a member of the music ministry of St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer Church, Groton, Conn.
The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $2.5 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.