The board of directors of Washington Trust Bancorp Inc., last month declared a quarterly dividend of 23 cents per share for the quarter ending June 30, 2012. more

Innovations in technology are driving corporate mobile banking, giving rise to new expectations and services from financial institutions, according to a press release from a Citizens Bank unit. more

Tom Hanks has a knack for playing the roles that define American generations. In “Saving Private Ryan,” he embodied the courage of the men who landed on the Normandy beaches under heavy fire. In “Apollo 13,” he conveyed calm and ingenuity under intense pressure: “Houston, we have a problem.” And Forrest Gump revealed much about America before, during and after the Vietnam War. more

Lawyers drained Linda Brice’s bank account and seized a quarter of her take-home pay, or more than $900 a month. Brice, a first-grade teacher and Coast Guard veteran, begged for mercy, saying she couldn’t afford food, gas or utilities. more

The Bank for International Settlements, which acts as a bank for the world’s central banks, should know fudged numbers when it sees them. What may come as a surprise is how openly it has been discussing the problem of bogus balance sheets at large financial companies. more

RBS Citizens Financial Group Inc., starting with a $50,000 grant to Providence-based Crossroads Rhode Island, is marking National Financial Literacy Month with $2 million worth of grants to financial education programs sponsored by nonprofits. more

MIDDLETOWN – BauerFinancial Inc., a credit-union rating and research firm, has given People’s Credit Union a 5-Star Superior rating. A 5-Star ranking indicates PCU is one of the strongest credit unions in the nation. To earn this rating, PCU excelled in areas of capital quality, asset quality, profitability and more. People’s Credit Union has earned this 5-Star Superior rating for 82 consecutive quarters, which puts it in an elite group of “Sustained Superiority Credit Unions.” Only 7 percent of the nation’s credit unions can claim this distinction. more

Local John Hancock Network firm Independence Financial Partners recently contributed more than $15,000 to Best Buddies Rhode Island, after participating in the Hyannis Port Best Buddies Challenge. more

The Citizens Bank Foundation is supporting the Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Campaign with a $15,000 grant for media outreach, according to a press release. more

NEW YORK – Fitch Ratings has affirmed the long-and short-term-issuer default rating of Independent Bank Corp. at “BBB/F2.” The bank’s rating outlook has been classified as “stable.” The bank is the sole holding company and the sole shareholder of Rockland Trust Co. more