October 30, 2003

UCONN BASKETBALL'S ALL-TIME TOP SCORER JOINS PEOPLE'S BANK

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. - Christopher Smith, the University of Connecticut's all-time leading basketball scorer, has joined People's Bank as a business development officer for both the bank and its insurance subsidiary, Beardsley, Brown & Bassett.

"We are pleased to have a dynamic person like Chris join our team," said Vince Santilli, first vice president and senior growth manager for People's Bank. "With his UConn background and the bank's partnership with the state's flagship public university, Chris is a great fit for People's Bank. His reputation within the state will make a meaningful contribution to our business development efforts in Connecticut."

People's Bank has a 10-year partnership with the UConn Division of Athletics and the UConn Co-op. As "the official banking partner" of UConn athletics - including the university's nationally ranked women's and men's basketball programs - People's has exclusive rights to the UConn Husky logo for financial products and services. In addition, People's has the only bank branch on campus, located in the UConn Co-op. This partnership provides People's with an important link to 24,000 UConn students and employees and a connection to the school's alumni, 75 percent of whom work within the state after graduation.

After leaving the UConn men's basketball program in 1992, Smith was selected 34th overall in the 1992 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. He played with the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves from 1992 to 1995, and with various franchises in the United States and Europe from 1996-1998. After a series of injuries ended his basketball career, Smith transitioned to work in sales and financial services.

During his UConn career, Smith was nominated for the coveted John Wooden Award, which is presented annually to an outstanding collegiate basketball player, based on academic, personal and athletic achievement. He was also named a McDonald's All American and was a member of an All Big East First team.

A native of Bridgeport, Smith holds a B.A. in business administration and is active in many community groups, especially those dealing with child welfare issues.

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 assets of $12 billion, 154 branches and more than 230 ATMs. People's is a leader in consumer and commercial banking, residential lending, insurance sales and supermarket banking and is the nation's 19th-largest issuer of MasterCard and Visa credit cards. People's subsidiaries offer brokerage services, asset management, equipment financing and leasing and insurance services.