Washington Trust To Hold Annual Business Leaders Forum

The Washington Trust Company will hold its third annual Business Leaders Forum on Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 3 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, R.I. The forum will consist of a panel discussion on "Healthcare Issues in the State of Rhode Island,” and will include: Constance A. Howes, president & CEO, Women & Infants Hospital; Edward J. Quinlan, president, Hospital Association of Rhode Island; H. John Keimig, chief executive officer, Quality Partners of Rhode Island; and Louis R. Giancola, president & CEO, South County Hospital Healthcare System. The panel will be moderated by Frank Coletta, news anchor, NBC10.

Following the panel discussion, guest speaker Mike Pressler, former men’s lacrosse coach at Duke and present head coach of men’s lacrosse at Bryant University, will discuss lessons learned and his trust in the truth. Pressler coached at Duke University for 16 years and was forced to resign in April 2006 amid allegations of rape and assault committed by his players. He has co-authored the book "It’s Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case and the Lives It Shattered.”

More than 200 business leaders from businesses throughout Rhode Island attend the Forum annually, including small business owners, entrepreneurs and CEO’s. This event is free and by reservation only. Reservations can be made by Wednesday, September 3, 10 a.m. by calling 401-348-1566.

The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $2.7 billion corporation headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation and is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including business banking, personal banking, and wealth management and trust services, through its offices located in Rhode Island, southeastern Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation’s common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.