While its headquarters may be in Scotland, Citizens Bank continues to act like the community bank that so many Rhode Islanders have come to embrace.
News last week that Citizens would be opening 21 branches in Super Stop & Shop locations from Westerly to Pawtucket only reinforces the company’s commitment to Rhode Island.
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Left out of the Citizens news release announcing that it would be opening the new branches and creating 100 new jobs was any mention of Sovereign Bank, which is pulling out of the Stop & Shops. It is ironic that the smaller Sovereign Bank, which made such a big deal about its small town approach, is cutting back on the convenience of the supermarket branches.
“Convenience is the primary reason why people choose their bank and no other bank will be more convenient than Citizens,” said Hal R. Tovin, who is in charge of in-store banking for Citizens.
It’s a good move for Citizens – coming at a time when FleetBoston seems to have increased efforts of its own to become more community involved. Sovereign will have to step up its own efforts as it continues to carve out a niche of its own – perhaps somewhere between Citizens and FleetBoston and the likes of Bank Rhode Island and Washington Trust.
Regardless, we applaud Citizens for stepping up the plate at a time when Rhode Islanders needed someone to do so.
