Washington Trust Selects James Brown as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Banking Officer
September 2025 – Smith & Wilkinson was selected by Washington Trust (NASDAQ-WASH) to manage the search and selection process for the bank’s Chief Commercial Banking Officer.
Washington Trust has selected James “Jim” Brown for the role. Reporting to the bank’s Chairman & CEO, Ned Handy, Jim will lead all commercial banking for the storied franchise, including commercial lending, commercial cash management services, and the Private Clients Group. An almost 40-year commercial banking veteran, Brown spent his early career in credit and commercial lending roles with Shawmut and State Street. He notably spent over 20 years with Boston Private Bank & Trust in roles of increasing scope and responsibility, during a period of tremendous growth for the bank. Prior to the bank’s sale to Silicon Valley, Brown served as the bank’s Co-President and head of the Commercial Bank. For 2 years from 2023 until its merger with Brookline Bank, he served as SEVP, Head of Commercial Banking for Berkshire Bank, where he was responsible for all commercial banking activities for the approximately $12B regional bank. Brown holds an MBA from Boston College and received his BS in Finance from Nichols College where he was the captain of the school’s varsity tennis program.
The Washington Trust SEVP and Chief Commercial Banking Officer search was managed by Cameron Boyd, Managing Partner, Financial Services
About Washington Trust
Washington Trust has a rich and unique history dating back to the bank’s founding in 1800. Headquartered in Westerly, RI, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the U.S. and one of New England’s premier financial institutions. At the time of the engagement, the bank had approximately $6.9B in total assets and $7.1B in wealth assets under administration. Washington Trust serves customers across established business lines in commercial and mortgage lending and wealth management and operates 28 retail locations in RI, CT, and MA. At the time of the search, the bank was in outstanding financial condition with strong earnings, asset quality, and capital. Following a leadership transition on the executive team, this critical hire was intended to drive accelerated growth in commercial banking in support of continued growth and financial performance of the bank.
About Washington Trust
For over 25 years, Smith & Wilkinson has been a trusted executive search and talent advisory partner. Our Financial Services team serves banks, credit unions, service providers, associations, nonbank lenders, financial technology companies, community and economic development organizations, and government-sponsored enterprises in attracting, promoting, and retaining senior leaders who drive long-term business success.
Our financial services executive search work includes Board, C-suite, and Director level engagements across executive leadership, strategy, risk, finance, operations, lending, technology, and wealth management, and more. With industry-leading market insight and a consultative approach, we provide both clients and candidates with exceptional visibility into today’s evolving talent landscape.
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