Rivers Named Chairman and CEO of Eastern Bank

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Robert F. Rivers has been elected by the Eastern Bank Board of Directors to the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the bank announced this week.

Rivers joined Eastern Bank in 2006 as its Vice Chairman and Chief Banking Officer, becoming President in 2007, Chief Operating Officer in 2012, and an Eastern Bank Director in 2015.  The Board also elected Quincy Miller to succeed Rivers as bank President.  Both promotions were effective Jan. 1.

“In just 16 months, Eastern Bank will celebrate our 200^th year in business as the United States’ oldest and largest mutual bank,” said Rivers. “While our leadership has changed over the years, our commitment to mutuality and the communities we serve remains the same. I look forward to building upon Rich Holbrook’s legacy and I’m grateful for the Board’s confidence in me as we lead Eastern into our third century of business.”

A native of Stoughton, Massachusetts, Rivers began his banking career in 1982 as a teller while in college, joining the former Old Stone Bank in Providence upon graduation in 1986.  From 1991 to 2005, he held a number of staff and line leadership positions at M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y.  Prior to joining Eastern, he was an Executive Vice President for Retail Banking at the former Commercial Federal Bank in Omaha, Nebraska.

Rivers earned his undergraduate degree at Stonehill College, and his MBA from the University of Rochester.  He lives in Needham with his wife and two children.

Miller, who joined Eastern last year as Vice Chairman and Chief Banking Officer, began his banking career in 1997 at M&T Bank in New York, N.Y.  He worked for M&T in a number of leadership roles until 2006 when he joined Citizens Bank in Cleveland, Ohio.  Prior to joining Eastern, he spent 10 years at Citizens, most recently as President of Citizens Bank, Massachusetts and President of its Business Banking division.

Miller, who lives in Milton with his wife and two children, earned his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and is a graduate of the Consumer Bankers Association Graduate School of Retail Bank Management.