A Message from Tony
2023 was a year of change for Chelsea Groton Bank, and for me. From taking on my new role as President and CEO of the Bank and President of the Chelsea Groton Foundation, to the renovation of the Groton headquarters building, it was a year of growth. As I reflect on my first year of leadership, I’m thankful for the support from Chelsea Groton’s Board of Trustees, the Chelsea Groton team, and our customers and community members.
I owe a lot of my success in my first year to the support I received from the Board of Trustees. The Board has been great in assisting me in my new role, making my transition a smooth one. This year we had two new members join the Board, Kim Cardinal, Vice President of Cardinal Honda, Groton and Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Both Kim and Rodney brought their expertise to Chelsea Groton and rounded out an already experienced team of engaged professionals who serve on our Board.
Also, I could not be more proud of the Chelsea Groton team. Our branch teams have worked tirelessly to not only provide incredible service to customers who stop in for routine branch transactions, but to also host financial wellness programming, provide one-on-one counsel to customers to help ensure finances are in order, and introduce customers to new technologies that can assist them in managing finances and monitoring for fraud. Our back office team transitioned from working at the Groton headquarters to temporary offices in Norwich while our Groton building underwent a renovation. Then they moved back into our newly updated headquarters without skipping a beat. The Team has maintained their pride in Chelsea Groton and continued to give the superior level of service that our customers have come to expect. The Bank was honored to be voted a Top Workplace by the Hartford Courant for the eighth consecutive year. I am proud and lucky to lead the dedicated team we have at Chelsea Groton Bank.
Our customers and community are the backbone of southeastern Connecticut, and we couldn’t be as successful as we are without them. Our customers expect the best from us, and we do all we can to provide the best banking experience in the area. This year, Chelsea Groton was once again voted the Best Bank by The Day’s readers, as it has been since 2015.
One of the best parts of being a mutual community bank is having the ability to put profits right back into the communities we serve. This fall, the Chelsea Groton Foundation awarded $244,000 to 37 non-profit organizations from Connecticut and Rhode Island. Including the fall grant cycle, a United Way employee giving campaign match, Acts of Kindness program, and scholarships, the Foundation has provided over $590,000 to the community this year, and over $6.2 million in total grants since it’s inception in 1998.
I’m looking forward to 2024 and seeing how we continue to grow Chelsea Groton and provide the best service to the community. Thank you for your ongoing trust and support!
