The most amazing thing about Rockville Bank’s giving is its breadth. The bank, which has “21-and-a-half” branches as its president and CEO Bill McGurk says, last year either donated funds or had employees volunteer at 349 nonprofit organizations. The bank only has 200 employees.
McGurk is proud of what his employees do. “Our biggest asset is our reputation and it is built by our employees,” he said. “Rockville Bank tries to be out there doing a lot of different things instead of focusing on one thing. We try to make a positive difference. Giving back makes you feel good. It’s part of our culture. We’re been working really hard to get there.”
Rockville Bank has a reputation for giving. Last fall, Rockville Bank donated more than $40,000 from its 150th Anniversary “Buy-a-Brick” fundraiser to more than 30 nonprofit organizations in the communities that it serves.
When the bank kicked off its yearlong anniversary celebration, it inaugurated a brick walkway at its new Rockville Bank Park in The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk. The project generated more than $40,000 in brick sales.
Bank officials presented a check for $20,426 to ECHN Community Healthcare Foundation, a check for $10,232 to Hockanum Valley Community Council, and divided the balance of $10,000 among more than 30 other local charities.
Laurie A. Rosner, senior vice president, marketing & administrative services officer, cited as another example of employees giving back a recent celebration of the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” home in Suffield.
The bank sponsored the build along with Pecoy Signature Homes of Springfield, Mass. Rosner said more than 40 employees gave up a Sunday afternoon and evening to volunteer at the party.
“That just shows the power of our culture,” she said.
The bank is also directly helping to improve the quality of health care in the 14 towns it serves.
Rockville Bank made a $10,000 donation to the Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) to help purchase sophisticated simulation equipment that will enhance and improve the education and training of physicians and nurses. Rockville Bank stepped forward with the first major contribution toward a challenge grant from the Timken Foundation for this new ECHN project.
Another area of support is the bank’s backing of legal services for the indigent. Rockville Bank received a Connecticut Bar Foundation 2009 Platinum Leadership Bank Award for its support of the foundation’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Program (IOLTA) which funds legal services for Connecticut residents in financial need.
