Webster Financial

Webster was founded in 1935 by Harold Webster Smith as the First Federal Savings of Waterbury in Connecticut. Only 24 years old, Smith borrowed from family and friends to found the lending institution providing home loans to Connecticut citizens. He served as CEO until 1987 and as chairman of the board until 1995 when First Federal was renamed Webster Bank in his honor.

Timeline

Among milestones in Webster's history:

1935: Harold Webster Smith founds a savings and loan, First Federal Savings of Waterbury.

1938: First Federal's assets grow to more than $1 million.

1986: First Federal converts to stock ownership and forms a holding company.

1987: James C. Smith becomes the company's second chief executive officer, succeeding his father, Harold Webster Smith, who continues as chairman.

1995: Harold Webster Smith retires as chairman and is succeeded by James C. Smith.

1997: Webster Trust Company, N.A. and Investment Services are added to the bank's offerings.

1998: Webster acquires Eagle Bank of Bristol, pushing its statewide branch total over 100.

1998: Webster becomes first bank in Connecticut to purchase an insurance agency .

2002: Webster becomes listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol, “WBS”.

2003: Webster announces definitive agreement to acquire FIRSTFED AMERICA BANCORP, INC., the holding company for First Federal Savings Bank of America; the deal, which closed in May 2004, marks Webster's first retail expansion beyond Connecticut's borders and into the southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island markets.

2004: Webster announces that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has accepted the company's application to be a chartered commercial bank.

2005: Webster acquires HSA Bank and becomes the leading bank administrator and trustee of health savings accounts in the nation.

2006: Webster acquires NewMil Bank.

2016: Webster acquires 17 Citibank branches in the Boston area and adds additional ATMs to support the network

2022: Webster acquires Sterling National Bank and moves its headquarters from Waterbury to Stamford.