Rockland Trust celebrated the grand opening of its first retail branch in downtown Boston this morning at 93 Franklin Street with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The branch’s Financial District location and its proximity to retail businesses in Downtown Crossing will allow customers who work in the area to visit the branch on their lunch break or during their commute.

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L-R: JD Chesloff, Mass. Business Roundtable; Rosemarie Sansone, Boston BID; Kerry Spence, Mass. Bay Lines; Jim Brett, New England Council; Christopher Oddleifson, Rockland Trust CEO; Betty Velasquez, Branch Manager; Richard Beal, A.W. Perry; Jim Rooney, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (Photo: Business Wire)

To commemorate the occasion, Richard Beal, President and CEO of A.W. Perry, and Kerry Spence, President of Massachusetts Bay Lines, made the branch’s first transactions using the video tellers. The Perry and the Spence families are among the original founders of the Bank in 1907.

The branch expands on Rockland Trust’s long heritage of commitment to building long-term relationships with customers, focused on supporting communities, and providing exceptional customer service. The new branch complements Rockland Trust’s nearby commercial lending and investment management office at 101 Arch Street that opened in 2013, as well as branches in the Boston neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, Allston, and Brighton. It will also provide a strong link to the new branches from the planned acquisition of Blue Hills Bank, including 87 Seaport Boulevard in the Seaport District.

Housed in an historic building dating back to the 1870s, the new branch offers a wide range of modern banking conveniences and is managed by Betty Velasquez, Vice President, and her team of three relationship bankers. In addition to a full suite of personal and business banking services, the branch also features two stations that serve as ATMs capable of dispensing multiple denominations, as well as live video teller stations. The video tellers extend the branch’s service hours from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can handle transactions as well as answer customer questions. Other branch features include an open floor plan with conversation areas and digital screens.

“We are thrilled to expand our service in Boston with the opening of our branch just steps away from Downtown Crossing,” said Christopher Oddleifson, Chief Executive Officer of Rockland Trust. “We look forward to continuing to build on our long-standing relationships with Boston customers in a prime location for those who work in the neighborhood or are visiting nearby businesses.”

The new branch sits amid a revitalization of the Downtown Crossing area that has included in recent years the opening of luxury residential, exciting retail and high-end boutique hotels, restaurants, and theatres.

“We’re very excited to welcome Rockland Trust to the neighborhood,” said Rosemarie Sansone, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District Corporation. “The Bank will be an invaluable addition to the business district, with its renowned dedication and commitment to the communities it serves. We look forward to a great working relationship with the branch staff.”

Rockland Trust is celebrating the new branch with special events in December and January. For the grand opening on December 14, there will be performances by the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District’s brass brand, a raffle for a free Charlie Card for a year, giveaways of fresh pineapples to welcome the neighborhood, and free grilled cheese sandwiches from Roxy’s. In addition, Rockland Trust will host “For You Fridays!” every Friday from December 21 to January 25. The Friday events will offer raffles for prizes, gift cards to popular area dining spots, and much more. Visit https://www.rocklandtrust.com/boston for the latest information.

About Rockland Trust

Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: INDB) has approximately $8.8 billion in assets and is the holding company for Rockland Trust Company, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Massachusetts. Named in 2018 to The Boston Globe’s “Top Places to Work” list for the 10th consecutive year, Rockland Trust offers a wide range of banking, investment, and insurance services. The Bank serves businesses and individuals through more than 100 retail branches, commercial and residential lending centers, and investment management offices in eastern Massachusetts, including Greater Boston, the South Shore, the Cape and Islands, as well as in Worcester and Rhode Island. Rockland Trust also offers a full suite of mobile, online, and telephone banking services. The Company is an FDIC member and an Equal Housing Lender. To find out why Rockland Trust is the bank “Where Each Relationship Matters®”, please visit www.rocklandtrust.com.

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