Mayor Neil O’Leary is honoring Jim Smith on Friday night for his long legacy of service to the community, and because his vision and leadership helped shape important changes in the city. Smith was the Chairman and CEO of Webster Bank for three decades and retired on January 1st, 2018. During his time in leadership Webster Bank grew from $500 million in assets to $26 billion, and is now a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.
Smith’s father, Harold Webster Smith, founded the Waterbury-based financial institution in the 1930s with a $25,000 loan in the smack of the Great Depression.
The celebration will be held on Friday, March 23 at City Hall from 5:00 – 7:00. The public is welcome.