Eddy E. Grijalva was appointed officer and branch manager at The Washington Trust Co. Olneyville location in Providence in September 2024. He previously worked in several other regional banking institutions prior to joining Washington Trust last year. Washington Trust is the third-largest bank in the Ocean State.
PBN: How long have you been in financial services and how long have you been with Washington Trust?
GRIJALVA: I have been in the financial services industry for more than 25 years. I went to school for accounting and business management at local universities with the goal of supporting local business owners as they started and grew their businesses.
I have worked for several great financial services organizations throughout Rhode Island, where I earned the experience needed to serve others for their financial needs. I joined Washington Trust eight months ago as a part of the team for our new Olneyville branch in Providence.
PBN: How has it been for you as the branch manager of the newly opened Olneyville branch since it opened last year?
GRIJALVA: I joined Washington Trust from another regional banking institution that also had local roots. Every institution has their own culture, but Washington Trust does a really great job of serving the community with much more personalized service; this in turn allows our team the opportunity to help individuals with specific needs and customized solutions.
I was drawn to Washington Trust’s culture of service, and very excited about their expansion into the Olneyville community specifically. We were warmly welcomed to the neighborhood, and I feel that we are accomplishing our purpose of being a trusted neighborhood financial institution in our new home in Olneyville.
PBN: What are some benefits or challenges to operating the branch that are unique to Olneyville? What, if any, are some services the branch offers that may be unique to the Olneyville area?
GRIJALVA: Olneyville is a vibrant, constantly evolving community, and over time the need for information and services to be provided in both English and in Spanish became very apparent. Given that fact, our staff is fully bilingual, which makes it easy for us to meet our customers where they are and in the language with which they are most comfortable.
We strive for the best service possible, along with the best financial solutions for our customers. We have had a lot of great conversations with individuals and families in the area about savings strategies and short- and long-term goal setting. Those personal in-branch connections and advice, along with our convenient digital banking solutions, provide our local neighbors with what they need to help them reach their financial goals.
PBN: What do you hope to bring to the Olneyville community with this new branch? What excites you the most about this new branch and its potential for the community?
GRIJALVA: We want our Olneyville branch to be the place where individuals and businesses come with their concerns and leave with positive solutions. I hope that this branch becomes the financial center where everyone feels welcome to come with questions, eager to have conversations and, ultimately, feel valued as a customer and community member.
While this branch has only been open for about eight months, the company has a long history of serving as a true community partner. This year, we’re celebrating 225 years as the nation’s oldest community bank. That longevity and continued trust in our communities really says a lot about the bank and I look forward to continuing to build on that legacy.
PBN: Any plan, vision, or statement you would like to give on the Olneyville branch as a whole?
GRIJALVA: Our amazing team at the Olneyville branch is committed to the individuals and families we serve in our neighborhood and beyond. We want to be the trusted adviser to the community, the place that they know they will be understood and supported, and the place where they can go to for answers to help themselves and their families achieve their goals. We want to see this community prosper, and we look forward to serving as the financial partner to bring that to fruition.
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
