Webster Increases Presence in Westchester County with Yonkers Branch O

    Business Editors/Insurance Writers

    WATERBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 2005--Webster Bank, N.A., a subsidiary of Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE: WBS), announced today the grand opening of a branch at 2143 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, N.Y. This is Webster's fifth de novo branch opening in Westchester County.
    Webster expects to open at least two more branches in Westchester County in 2005. Leases have been signed for an additional branch in Yonkers and one in Yorktown Heights. Over the next two to three years, Webster plans between six and eight Westchester County de novo branch openings. Likely sites include White Plains, Eastchester and Yonkers.
    Webster's Southern Region Market Manager, Mike Fitzsimmons, officially opened the branch. He was joined by Market Manager Carl Casper and Branch Manager Dennis Wieber. Mayor Philip A. Amicone represented the City of Yonkers at the ribbon cutting. Edward Sheeran, special assistant to the Mayor; Wanda Nieves, assistant director of the Office of Economic Development and Dana Robideau, deputy director of the Industrial Development Agency joined the Mayor. Also attending were Yonkers city officials Kristen Brutting, business development manager; Caitriona Harley, event coordinator and Lola Vataj, loan program manager.
    Webster initiated its Westchester County expansion in May 2004 with its branch in Scarsdale. Webster now operates Westchester County branch locations in: Scarsdale, White Plains, Rye, Mamaroneck and Yonkers.
    The Yonkers branch is 3800 square feet with a drive-up teller window and an ATM. There are seven employees, including three tellers, a financial services supervisor, a financial services representative, an operations supervisor and the branch manager.

    Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association and Webster Insurance. With $17.8 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, insurance, financial planning, trust and investment services through 151 banking offices, 287 ATMs, telephone banking and the Internet. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation, the insurance premium finance company Budget Installment Corp., and Center Capital Corporation, an equipment finance company headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut.
    For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websteronline.com.

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CONTACT: Webster Bank, N.A. Media Contact: Meghan Thompson, 203-578-2287 mthompson@websterbank.com or Investor Contact: Terry Mangan, 203-578-2318 tmangan@websterbank.com

KEYWORD: CONNECTICUT NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: INSURANCE BANKING PRODUCT SOURCE: Webster Bank, N.A.

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