PBN Leaders & Achievers Awards 2025
DON TROPPOLI
Webster Bank N.A. Senior managing director of regional banking for Rhode Island and Massachusetts
DON TROPPOLI ALWAYS wanted to be in sales and got into financial services to learn how to handle money. Working on both coasts, his experience has been in sales, finance, management and more.
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Troppoli, Webster Bank N.A.’s senior managing director of regional banking for Rhode Island and Massachusetts, realized that all the experience he had sitting in the chair of the people that he was selling to was a huge advantage over everybody else. Because, he says, he could very quickly understand how a company makes money and what the pressure points are.
Troppoli began with Webster Bank in Rhode Island after a career on the West Coast. He said he’s helped leadership understand the business landscape within Rhode Island and Massachusetts to help the regional bank become a powerhouse.
“Having sat in the seat of the [chief financial officer], I am really tuned into how they think and what’s important to them, being able to explain what businesses do to make money, which really helps manage the relationship they have with the bank; it’s very valuable as a trusted adviser,” he said.
Banking is the only industry that is federally mandated to give back to the community, which excites Troppoli, he says. Businesses have benefited from Webster Bank supporting families, and Troppoli feels it’s important to help those operations succeed so they, too, can give back to the community.
Troppoli served on boards for various nonprofits in Rhode Island, worked on committees and has volunteered in the community for years.
“The gift you get back is the impact you’re able to make,” he said. “If we all just left the world a better place than we found it, the world would be a pretty incredible place.”
He says those who want to get into banking leadership need to both be a good mentor and find good mentors themselves. A former mentor of Troppoli’s used to say, “If you’re not getting better, you’ve ceased being good,” which stuck with him.
“You have to consciously evolve and be constantly learning,” he said. “You’ve got to continue to learn and continue to get better.”
