June e-News

New CEO is respected business and community leader,
and Rhode Island native son

Joe MarcAurele’s ascent to the top has been nothing short of unconventional. And it’s that unique career path, according to MarcAurele –Washington Trust’s new Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer – that has given him an invaluable perspective and understanding of the banking industry and the knowledge required to lead the nation’s oldest community bank and Rhode Island’s largest independent bank. “I most definitely traveled the road less taken to get where I am today,” said MarcAurele, who joined Washington Trust in 2009. “And I wouldn’t trade my experiences on that winding path for anything as they’ve allowed me to understand people, work, life and the banking industry from such a varied range of positions and in such different settings. There is great wisdom to be found on such a path.”

According to those who’ve worked alongside or for MarcAurele, he is an effective, inspiring and influential leader who has a special knack for connecting with people regardless of their age, background or profession. “It’s amazing to watch Joe during the course of a day,” said MarcAurele’s recently retired predecessor John Warren who led Washington Trust as its CEO and chairman since 1999. “He possesses a natural ability to find commonality with every person he meets whether they’re a customer, an employee, a community or business leader, or a young person. And in the banking business – where the success of a bank hinges largely on people relationships – Joe is truly one of the Bank’s greatest assets.”

MarcAurele is a “homegrown” business leader – born and raised in Pawtucket and never straying too far from his roots. He was an English/classics major and football player at Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and after graduating, began a career in teaching – first in the Worcester area and then at Saint Raphael Academy in Pawtucket where he also coached football and served as athletic director. He then followed the administrator track, serving as assistant principal for several years.

While he loved teaching, MarcAurele was eventually drawn to a career in sales at Dryvit – starting at the bottom rung of the ladder as a customer service representative and landing near the top as head of sales. The hectic travel schedule ultimately led him to accept a job at Fleet National Bank. “My first job at Fleet Bank required me to go through an extensive commercial credit training program and teller school – two of the best things that ever happened to me,” said MarcAurele. “To this day, I draw from some of my initial training and have a tremendous amount of respect for tellers and the key role they play in interacting with our customers.”

Following his time at Fleet where he held various positions, including senior vice president and director of human resources, MarcAurele accepted a position at Citizen’s Bank where he started modestly with a position managing the commercial banking group in Rhode Island. Later, he served as president, Citizens Bank, Rhode Island, a division of RBS Citizens, N.A. He also served as chairman, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Rhode Island and Connecticut and was a member of Citizens’ Executive Leadership Group and Executive Committee and oversaw the Corporate Global Restructuring Group. “While I enjoyed my 16-year tenure at Citizen’s, I’m very fortunate to have landed at Washington Trust,” said MarcAurele. “It’s a perfect fit based on the fact that I’m a native Rhode Islander and based on the culture of the Bank. For me, one of the real attractions of Washington Trust is its long-time culture of treating customers, employees and the community correctly and realizing the strong role community plays in shaping and sustaining our mission.”

MarcAurele believes that his diverse background and the unique career path that led him to Washington Trust, also laid the groundwork for his management style. “I draw from a wide-range of career experiences and that has served me well in being an effective team builder. I’m a big believer in positive reinforcement, communicating with everyone at every level, and in instilling a healthy work/life balance,” he said.

Acknowledging his deep Rhode Island roots, MarcAurele is also passionate about “giving back” to the communities he has served and has frequently been recognized for his involvement and leadership. “My belief is that a good business leader needs to be a part of the community’s fabric and serve as a strong fiber in the success of those communities,” MarcAurele explained. “I also believe that the personal satisfaction you gain and appreciation you receive from others when you share your skills and expertise is immeasurable.”

MarcAurele recently championed Washington Trust’s 10th annual statewide PB Xpress peanut butter campaign to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. He has also received the “Hometown Hero Award” from the Pawtucket Red Sox and Cox Communications for his leadership in the Striking Out Hunger initiative to benefit the Food Bank. In addition, he serves on the President’s Council of Providence College, chairs the Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island, and is a member of the Rhode Island Commodores. He is also on the board of Rhode Island Hospital and the Providence Chamber of Commerce. And, on June 24, he will be honored at the Phoenix House Public Service Award Luncheon for his ongoing commitment to community service.

Home Improvement Tip: Don't forget your gutters
By Tom Wikiera

For most people the largest investment that we make in our lifetime is our home. While we all understand that there is a lot, almost too much, maintenance that we have to perform regularly, we sometimes forget how important it can be. Cleaning out the gutters is one of those home maintenance tasks that should not be forgotten.

The fall and winter have passed. This spring brought a lot of rain and wind which filled the gutters on our homes with water and debris. Cleaning gutters is one of the most dangerous, labor intensive, miserable and dirty jobs there is to do around the house, but doing nothing can have dire consequences. The buildup of debris will cause the water to back up in the gutters and run down the side of your home. This, at best, will cause vinyl siding to become discolored with mold which will have to be power washed or scrubbed with detergent and power washed. At its worst it will cause mold that will attack your wooden siding, discoloring it, and also leading to rot.

Water that backs up in the gutters does not flow down drainpipes that are designed to “take the water away from the house. When this doesn't happen the water flows to the foundation and can more easily penetrate into the basement. This has already been a big problem this year. During the winter the water that backs up can cause an “ice dam.” During this process water freezes and continues to back up; raising roof shingles and pushing itself into your home where, when it melts, will cause water damage. This is generally the cause of discolored ceilings that you see in homes.

Mosquitoes regard moist, debris filled gutters as prime real estate! And the moisture that builds up WILL rot your soffits and fascia boards. This additional moisture in those areas WILL attract carpenter ants, who like to nest in moist roof joists. These ants are voracious eaters that will quickly destroy your home.

Lastly, the buildup of debris can cause your home to be an eyesore when passersby see grass and trees growing in your gutters or moss and lichens spreading all across your roof. This can all be avoided and you can save thousands of dollars if you take the time and effort to clean your gutters.

If you need to make improvements on your home, now is the perfect time to use your home's equity to finance the costs. It's also a smart financial move these days. With housing prices stabilizing, your investment will build value for the future. And right now, the timing for making home improvements couldn't be better.

• Talented local craftsmen are eager to do business with you
• Building material costs are down significantly
• You can borrow against your home's equity at very attractive rates

If you have any questions or would like more information about our home equity loans or lines of credit, please contact us.

Community Calendar

There’s plenty to do in the community this summer and Washington Trust is proud to sponsor a host of local events.

JULY
July 4th - South Kingstown Fourth of July Celebration to be held at the Old Mountain Field in Wakefield . For more information please call 401-789-9301 or visit their website at www.southkingstownri.com/fourth-july-celebration.

July 8th – City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “Navy Band Northeast”, the first in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust . For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

July 8th - The Rhode Island Historical Society presents Concerts Under the Elms “Atwater-Donnelly” Traditional American and Celtic Folk Music. Concert begins at 6:30 pm on the John Brown House Museum lawn, 52 Power Street, Providence. For information call 401-331-8575 x33 or mlupham@rihs.org. Call 401-331-8575 x33 after 1:30 p.m. the day of the concert in case of inclement weather.

July 10th - Summer Concert Series. Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their first of the season Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features The Parallel String Band - Bluegrass , Irish, folk and blues music. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org.

July 15th - The Rhode Island Historical Society presents Concerts Under the Elms “Duke Robillard Band” Classic Blues, R&B, and Swing! Concert begins at 6:30 pm on the John Brown House Museum lawn, 52 Power Street, Providence. For information call 401-331-8575 x33 or mlupham@rihs.org. Call 401-331-8575 x33 after 1:30 p.m. the day of the concert in case of inclement weather.

July 15th– City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “John Connor and Irish Express”, the second in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust . For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

July 16th - Save a Life. Donate Blood! The Rhode Island Blood Bank's Bloodmobile will be at Washington Trust's Operations Center from 9:00am – 12:00pm, Industrial Park, 2 Cross Wind Road, Westerly. For more information please call 401-348-1270.

July 17th –Snug Harbor-East Matunuck Civic Association’s 16th Annual 5K Run/Walk begins at 9:00 am at the Brousseau Park, Succotash Road, Snug Harbor. Celebrate Summer 2010! For registration information please call Melanie Cahill at 401-741-9708 or zepgoddess@juno.com.

July 17-18th - Jonnycake Center of Westerly's A Taste of Italy! Join us for this special, summertime event - For more information please call 401-377-8069. 

July 22nd - The Rhode Island Historical Society presents Concerts Under the Elms “Steve Smith & the Nakeds” Rhythm and Blues Band. Concert begins at 6:30 pm on the John Brown House Museum lawn, 52 Power Street, Providence. For information call 401-331-8575 x33 or mlupham@rihs.orgCall 401-331-8575 x33 after 1:30 p.m. the day of the concert in case of inclement weather.

July 22nd – City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “Back Eddy Bluegrass Band”, the third in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust. For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

July 24th - Summer Concert Series Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features Paul Geremia – Acoustic blues recording artist. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org.

July 29th - The Rhode Island Historical Society presents Concerts Under the Elms “Swing N’ Strings with Al Basile” Swing, Jazz and Blues. Concert begins at 6:30 pm on the John Brown House Museum lawn, 52 Power Street, Providence. For information call 401-331-8575 x33 or mlupham@rihs.org. Call 401-331-8575 x33 after 1:30 p.m. the day of the concert in case of inclement weather.

July 29th– City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “SH-Bop”, the fourth in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust. For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

July 31st - Summer Concert Series Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features Screwdriver – Jamaican acoustical recording artist. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org.

AUGUST 2010
August 5th- The Rhode Island Historical Society presents Concerts Under the Elms “Magnolia” Cajun Music. Concert begins at 6:30 pm on the John Brown House Museum lawn, 52 Power Street, Providence. For information call 401-331-8575 x33 or mlupham@rihs.orgCall 401-331-8575 x33 after 1:30 p.m. the day of the concert in case of inclement weather.

August 5th– City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “Black & White Band”, the fifth in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust. For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

August 7th - Summer Concert Series Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features Doc Wood – Folk icon performing old time music. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org.

August 12th– City of Cranston Dept. of Parks & Recreation presents "Music Around the Town" Concert Series. “Too Human”, the final concert in a series of popular hits of the last 5 decades, to jazz and big band music at various sites around the City during the summer. This free concert series is sponsored annually by Washington Trust. For more information please visit www.cranstonri.com.

August 13th - Save a Life. Donate Blood! The Rhode Island Blood Bank's Bloodmobile will be at Washington Trust's Warwick Office from 10:00am – 1:00pm, 236 Centerville Road, Warwick. For more information please call 401 739-2353.

August 14th & 15th – The Mystic Outdoor Art Festival – View more than 285 talented artist exhibits to take place in downtown Mystic, CT. For more information you may visit their website at www.mysticchamber.org.

August 21st - Summer Concert Series Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features Steve DeConti – Local jazz acoustical recording artist. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org.

August 27th - Save a Life. Donate Blood! The Rhode Island Blood Bank's Bloodmobile will be at Washington Trust's North Kingstown Office from 2:00pm – 5:00pm, 7625 Post Road, North Kingstown. For more information please call 401 295-4700.

August 28th - Summer Concert Series Please join Cross' Mills Public Library at 7:00PM for their Summer Concert Series. This family fun event features Sol Music – Contemporary Americana music featuring Colleen Rogers & Mike Bussey. For more information please visit their website at www.crossmills.org. 

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