Lots of news from Chamber Member PeoplesBank!

PeoplesBank Positions for Future Growth and Commitment to Communities

New President and Chief Financial Officer named as bank surpasses 

$4 billion in assets milestone.

The Board of Directors of PeoplesBank voted to approve the following leadership changes: Tom Senecal is now Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer while Brian Canina has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer and Hayes Murray has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

“We surpassed $4 billion in assets in 2023,” explained Senecal, “we have more than 300 employees, and operate across two states with 20 Banking Centers with an additional five locations when our headquarters, ATM and VideoBankingITM locations are included. That’s quite a bit of recent growth which is a credit to the hard work of our entire team.”

"Our commitment to the communities we serve has also grown,” noted Canina. “Our charitable giving continues to be a strength for us, with almost $6 million donated over the past three years alone, and over $11 million over the past ten years. Our employees are also a volunteer strength in the market, donating thousands of hours of volunteer service to area non-profits and charitable causes. It’s the power of a mutually chartered bank that allows us to achieve such records. Our purpose will continue to be to serve the banking needs of our customers and the communities where they live.

The leadership changes will provide Senecal with more opportunities to plan and manage the growth and revenue activities of the bank including the Retail Operations, Consumer Lending, Small Business, Municipals, and Commercial and Industrial divisions. Canina will continue to be responsible for Finance, Facilities, PeoplesWealth, the Business Solutions Group, and Information Technology. In his new role, he will also be responsible for Human Resources, Marketing and Corporate Responsibility.

Senecal and Canina both underscored the importance of increasing the bank’s presence in the market. To that end, the Board of Directors have also approved plans to open Banking Centers in Glastonbury and Avon, in addition to seeking other opportunities for future expansion.

Senecal joined PeoplesBank in 1995 and has since held positions in Finance and Commercial Lending before being elected as President, CEO, and Chairman in 2016. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management and attended the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College. Senecal serves on the Massachusetts Bankers Association Board of Directors and is also a Corporator for both The Loomis Communities and The Horace Smith Fund. He resides in Granby, MA.

Canina joined PeoplesBank in 2009 and served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer prior to being appointed to his current position. He is a graduate of Bryant University and formerly served as a Certified Public Accountant. Canina is also a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and is a recipient of the Wharton Leadership Certificate. Canina is president of the Finance and Accounting Society of New England. He serves on the board of directors for Helix Human Services. He resides in Longmeadow, MA.

About: PeoplesBank is a leader in innovation, corporate responsibility, environmental sustainability, and employee engagement. Our three LEED® certified offices are environmentally friendly, and we have financed more than $350 million in wind, hydroelectric, and solar energy projects