Event highlights the bank’s commitment to philanthropy and employee volunteerism
STAMFORD, Conn. (April 21, 2017) — United Way of Western Connecticut will honor Webster Bank President John Ciulla for his commitment to corporate volunteerism and philanthropy at its annual Heart of Gold Award Dinner. The event will take place on Thursday, May 18th at the Stamford Marriott Hotel from 6:00– 9:00 p.m. United Way will also award the 2017 Roberta K. Eichler Heart of Gold Scholarship to Stamford High School senior Ariadna Lopez at the event. Michael Pollard, Chief of Staff to City of Stamford Mayor Martin, will emcee the event.
As president of Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank, John Ciulla leads a company that embraces employee volunteerism at every level of the bank, giving 16 hours of paid time off to encourage even more participation throughout the year. John is an active member of several nonprofit boards, currently serving as Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and as a member of the board of the Business Council of Fairfield County. His example sets the tone for employee volunteer engagement. Webster Bank employees participate in large numbers at United Way’s annual Day of Action service events in Stamford and Greater Danbury, and are committed to serving nonprofits through board service and skilled volunteerism.
“We are so pleased to honor John and his leadership at our Heart of Gold Award Dinner this year,” said Kimberly Morgan, CEO of United Way of Western Connecticut. “The nonprofit community relies on corporate partners like Webster Bank that promote employee volunteer engagement in local social service agencies and are committed to contributing financially to the success of local community organizations. Webster Bank, under John’s leadership, is one of Stamford’s great philanthropic businesses and we are honored to recognize their contributions to the City.”
The Heart of Gold Award was established in 1995 to honor business leaders who distinguish themselves through philanthropy and build volunteerism into their strategic business plans. United Way of Western Connecticut celebrates the importance of business leadership in building healthy communities through philanthropy and employee volunteerism.
Roberta K. Eichler Heart of Gold Scholarship
United Way of Western Connecticut is proud to award its 2017 Roberta K. Eichler Heart of Gold Scholarship to Ariadna Lopez, a senior at Stamford High School. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually to support the continuing education of an outstanding local student volunteer and is named in honor of the Stamford Volunteer Center’s former executive director.
Ariadna distinguished herself as our 2017 scholarship recipient through her commitment to volunteerism and making a difference in the lives of others. “It is a commitment not just to my community and myself, but to the communities I hope to help,” she wrote in her scholarship application. She has been a long-time volunteer with CT Quest for Peace and Project Appalachia, and believes her volunteer experiences have shaped her life and informed her decision to attend college.
United Way of Western Connecticut seeks nominations in early winter for its annual scholarship from Stamford schools, nonprofit organizations, religious institutions and businesses. The Heart of Gold Scholarship Selection Committee reviews and evaluates all nominations based on the nominee’s commitment to volunteerism, leadership skills and an in-person interview.
Tickets for the event are available at www.uwwesternct.org/heartofgoldtickets
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ABOUT WEBSTER
Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association. With $26.1 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, financial planning, trust, and investment services through 168 banking centers and 349 ATMs. Webster also provides mobile and Internet banking. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation; the equipment finance firm Webster Capital Finance Corporation; and HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, which provides health savings account trustee and administrative services. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com.