September 26, 2005

People's Bank Appoints Taft-Jackson And Resto To New Positions In Its Affordable Lending Group

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. - Valencia Taft-Jackson has been named vice president of the Affordable Lending Group at People's Bank. In her new position, Taft-Jackson will be responsible for supervising the bank's Affordable Lending Group staff, fostering relationships with community organizations and nonprofit agencies to support affordable housing initiatives, approving home buyer education course curriculum and performing competitor market analysis.

People's Bank also has named Daniel Resto as Homebuyer Education Manager. He will oversee a program that includes classroom instruction and a self-paced home study course with consumer counseling follow-up.

Taft-Jackson joined People's in 1997 and after completing the People's Management Training program, Taft-Jackson became an assistant branch manager. Most currently, Taft-Jackson served as Homebuyer Education Marketing Manager. Prior to joining People's, Taft-Jackson worked as a bank officer and underwriter for First Fidelity Bank and as the vice president of Mortgage Operations for the Savings Bank of Danbury.

Taft-Jackson brings 12 years of social service experience to her new position including roles as assistant director of the Hartford region YWCA Women's Center, director of UCONN Storrs Women's Center and director of the Project for Battered Women in New Haven.

Taft-Jackson received an associate's and bachelor's degree in psychology from Sacred Heart University. She is an SBLI Licensed Insurance Agent and attended the Appraisal Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. Taft-Jackson resides in Bridgeport with her husband, Walter, son Walter Jr. and daughter, Aiesha.

A Stratford resident, Resto has been at People's Bank since 1986. Prior to his new assignment, he served as Customer Service Manager and has served in various positions within the bank's Residential Lending division, including Marketing Officer and Affordable Lending Officer. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all have recognized People's Bank's homebuyer education efforts overseen by Resto.

Resto has been a member of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Bridgeport and Mutual Housing of Southwestern Connecticut loan review committees. Resto also has served as a Spanish-language instructor for Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain and as an instructor for the Connecticut Homebuyer Education Initiative.

Resto holds a bachelor's degree from Springfield College's School of Human Services.

Founded in 1842, People's Bank (peoples.com) is one of Connecticut's largest banks with assets of $11 billion, more than 240 ATMs and 154 branches, 68 of which offer convenient seven-day banking in Super Stop & Shop locations across the state. A diversified financial services company, People's Bank provides consumer, commercial, insurance, retail investment and trust services to personal and business banking customers. People's Bank is the official banking partner of the University of Connecticut Division of Athletics. For more information about People's, its products and services, please call 800-772-1090, visit peoples.com or any of People's branches.