NEWPORT – Boston-based Berkshire Hill Bancorp Inc. is preparing to convert bank branches and automated teller machines in southern Rhode Island acquired from its purchase last spring of Savings Institute Bank & Trust Co.
During the first weekend in October, Berkshire will convert Saving Institute’s Rhode Island branches in Westerly, the village of Wakefield in South Kingstown, Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth.
The five branches will only miss one day of business – Saturday, Oct. 5 – due to the conversion, said Tami Gunsch, Berkshire’s senior executive vice president of retail banking.
Meanwhile, all Savings Institute customers will be mailed their new Berkshire bank cards and debit cards in the second half of September, she said.
Temporarily, Savings Institute customers will not be able to get their account balance via Savings Institute ATMs until Oct. 7, when the branch conversion will be completed. However, Savings Institute ATMs will be able to perform all other functions in the meantime, she said.
Berskshire completed its acquisition of Savings Institute in May in an agreement between the two companies valued at about $176 million. In addition to the five Rhode Island branches, Willimantic, Conn.-based Savings Institute has had 18 branches in eastern Connecticut that were acquired by Berkshire.
Scott Blake is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Blake@PBN.com.
