January 27,2003

People's To Open UConn Co-op Branch

BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
People's Bank will open its 155th office inside the UConn Co-op at 2075 Hillside Rd., Storrs, on Thursday, Jan. 30. Students, faculty and administrators are expected to attend the grand opening festivities to celebrate the convenience of full-service banking on campus.

The branch - a state-of-the-art banking facility - was designed by Silver Petrucelli & Associates, Inc., a Hamden-based architectural firm. The 1000-square foot office is tailored to its customers and includes features not seen in a typical branch. It includes a convenient online banking kiosk PC and a customer seating area with trays for laptop computers. Monitors throughout the branch - including two in the ATM vestibule - televise UConn sports highlights and other news.

In addition, WTIC's Basketball Post Game Show will be broadcast from the branch and a 48-foot-long LED board disseminates UConn news, event and sports information, along with world and financial news. The bank will employ four UConn students among its staff of eight. People's professionals will offer seminars including "Graduation Transition," "Basics of Homebuying," "Investing in Turbulent Times" and "Money Management and Credit Counseling" to students, faculty and staff.

"We are very excited to be expanding our partnership with Connecticut's flagship university and to have greater opportunities to serve the members of the Storrs campus community," said People's President and CEO John A. Klein, an alumnus of both UConn and the UConn School of Law. "Our relationship as the official banking partner of the Huskies is off to a strong start and we now have the privilege of being the only bank with a branch on campus. All these factors play an integral part in People's role of being Connecticut's bank."

In honor of today's grand opening, People's will donate $1,000 to the UConn Foundation Continuing Studies Scholarship Fund. Patricia A. P. Lagasse, financial services manager at People's new office, will be among those making the donation.

The UConn Co-op office is open Monday through Wednesday, and Friday, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

People's (peoples.com) is a diversified financial services company providing commercial, consumer, insurance and investment services. Founded in 1842, it is the largest state-chartered bank in Connecticut with managed assets of $13 billion, 155 branches and 230 ATMs. People's is a leader in commercial banking, residential lending, life insurance sales, supermarket banking and ranks 15th nationally as an issuer of MasterCard and Visa credit cards. People's subsidiaries offer brokerage services, asset management, equipment financing and leasing, and insurance services.