Webster Announces Douglas O. Hart as Senior Vice President-Chief Accounting Officer

Jun 15, 2007

WATERBURY, Conn., June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE: WBS), the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A., announced today that Douglas O. Hart has joined the company as Senior Vice President- Chief Accounting Officer. In this capacity, he will be responsible for all accounting and treasury operations of both Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank. Hart will report directly to Webster Chief Financial Officer Jerry Plush.

Hart has more than 30 years of experience in financial services. Most recently, he was senior executive vice president-treasury operations and deposits for MBNA Corporation in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was also responsible for directing the company's asset liability management and securitization servicing areas, with responsibility for over 400 managers and staff. Before his tenure with MBNA, he was senior vice president of accounting and financial operations at MNC Financial in Baltimore, Maryland and prior to that he worked with Baker Watts and Company as vice president and controller.

"Doug is a significant addition to the senior management team here at Webster" stated Jerry Plush, Webster's Chief Financial Officer. "His extensive accounting, operations and overall financial services experience will enable him to make an immediate contribution to our company."

Hart earned a B.A. from Loyola College in Maryland. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Maryland Association of CPA's.

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association and Webster Insurance. With $16.9 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, insurance, financial planning, trust and investment services through 177 banking offices, 334 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 www.websteronline.com.

Media Contact
Clark Finley 203-578-2287
cfinley@websterbank.com

Investor Contact
Terry Mangan 203-578-2318
tmangan@websterbank.com

SOURCE Webster Financial Corporation