Webster was founded in a 11-by-38-foot office in Waterbury, Conn., in 1935 by Harold Webster Smith when he was 24 years old. He wanted to help his neighbors achieve the dream of homeownership in the midst of the Great Depression, so he borrowed $25,000 from family and friends to found First Federal Savings of Waterbury, a lending institution known locally as "Harold's Bank" that provided home loans at reasonable rates to Connecticut residents.

Smith served as CEO until 1987 and as chairman of the board until 1995 when First Federal was renamed Webster Bank in his honor.

We believe in helping our communities through philanthropy, sponsorships, community reinvestment and volunteer activities. Every year, Webster gives more than $3 million in program support to more than 1,000 not-for-profit organizations across our market and our dedicated Webster bankers provide tens of thousands of hours of volunteer service, a testament to their community commitment.