William F. Hatfield

Teenagers. They can be moody, messy and misdirected, right? Wrong.

According to William F. Hatfield, Rhode Island president for Bank of America Corp., there isn’t a more important sector in which to invest and support.

Hatfield, Bank of America’s local chief since 2004, is also managing director of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. He has been with the bank for more than 23 years.

During this time, the Bank of America Foundation has become a solid philanthropic partner in a broad range of efforts, including Habitat for Humanity, Crossroads Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

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But support of the state’s young people, specifically, is where Hatfield has made his mark.

He won a Brighter Futures award from Family Service of Rhode Island in 2010. He serves on the executive council of Junior Achievement Rhode Island, which chose him for a Morris J.W. Gaebe Profile in Excellence Award in 2012. Also in 2012, the bank held its eighth Student Leaders program, which linked 225 high-schoolers with internships at various U.S. nonprofits that year.

“Teens are disproportionately affected by the recession with all-time high unemployment rates. … In the Student Leaders program, local teens … gain valuable employment training and life experience,” he told PBN at the time.

A Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce director and chairman of The Providence Foundation board, in whatever role Hatfield takes on, providing opportunity for teens is top of mind.

“Investing in leadership and fostering a culture of service is a way to revitalize the economic and social health of communities,” he said. •

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