WATERBURY, Conn., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Webster Financial
Corporation (NYSE: WBS), the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A., announced
at its annual meeting today the introduction of a new corporate identity and
logo. The new logo has a contemporary look and features a letter "W" inside a
circle, with a diamond shaped serif pointing toward the northeast. All
Webster branches will have the new identity by the fall.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050421/NYTH039LOGO )
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James C. Smith stated, "Webster's
story is one of growth and evolution. It has been seventy years since my
father, Harold Webster Smith, founded the bank. It has been ten years since
Webster was renamed in his honor, during which time Webster transformed itself
from a growing, local thrift to the largest independent commercial bank
headquartered in New England. Webster's new logo captures the momentum we
feel as we confidently move forward to achieve our ambitious goals."
Webster last changed its corporate identity in 1995 when Smith succeeded
his father as chairman of the bank and changed its name from First Federal
Savings of Waterbury to Webster Bank. At that time, Webster had $3.2 billion
in assets and 44 offices in Connecticut. Ten years later, Webster has $17.4
billion in assets and 153 banking offices from Westchester County, New York,
through Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
"We wanted to preserve the 'W' as the core of the new logo, maintaining a
strong link to our heritage," stated Executive Vice President for Marketing
and Communications Jeffrey N. Brown, explaining the process for developing the
new logo. "At the same time, we wanted to communicate the energy and
approachability that are at the heart of Webster's We Find A Way brand
promise."
The new logo graced the cover of Webster's annual report and was
introduced in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on April 5, 2005 when the former
FIRSTFED division was renamed Webster. At the ceremony, Smith said, "Like a
compass, the diamond shape points toward Webster's New England home."
Webster's new logo will eventually appear on everything from signs to
billboards to stationery and business cards.
Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank,
National Association and Webster Insurance. With $17.4 billion in assets,
Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, insurance, financial
planning, trust and investment services through 153 banking offices, 291 ATMs,
telephone banking and the Internet. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending
firm Webster Business Credit Corporation, the insurance premium finance
company Budget Installment Corp., Center Capital Corporation, an equipment
finance company headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut and provides health
savings account trustee and administrative services through HSA Bank, a
division of Webster Bank.
For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the
latest annual report, visit the Webster website at
http://www.websteronline.com.
Media Contact: Investor Contact:
Meghan Thompson 203-578-2287 Terry Mangan 203-578-2318
mthompson@websterbank.com tmangan@websterbank.com
SOURCE Webster Financial Corporation
-0- 04/21/2005
/CONTACT: Media - Meghan Thompson, +1-203-578-2287,
mthompson@websterbank.com, Investor - Terry Mangan, +1-203-578-2318,
tmangan@websterbank.com, both of Webster Financial Corporation/
/Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050421/NYTH039LOGO
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/
/Web site: http://www.websteronline.com /
(WBS)
CO: Webster Financial Corporation; Webster Bank, N.A.
ST: Connecticut
IN: FIN
SU:
EA
-- NYTH039 --
8336 04/21/2005 08:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com