UniBank CEO Michael Welch on New Kelly Square Branch, Community Banking, and Giving Back
By-Hank Stolz
Photo-Radio Worcester
WORCESTER, MA– Michael Welch, the CEO of UniBank. Welch, a “Worcester kid,” tells the Talk of the Commonwealth about the success of UniBank’s latest full-service branch across from Polar Park. As the largest bank headquartered in Central Mass with $3 billion in assets, UniBank is large enough to serve the needs of the community and invest in technology, yet small enough to remain locally focused and personal.
The new UniBank branch in Kelly Square was launched in an area of the city that had been without a full-service bank branch for decades and as such has been warmly received by both long-standing residents of the Green Island neighborhood and new residents moving into the area.
Welch explained what is meant by full-service and told us about a new mortgage program in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, telling us the moving story of the bank helping a woman, who had previously been in shelters, secure her first home through the program. “…it just brought tears to my eyes when we went up there and met with her. It was just terrific.” Welch said.
He is extremely proud of the fact that UniBank commits 10% of its income to charitable and non-profit efforts. “The more money we make, the more we give away. And it’s local. It’s not to Boston, it’s not elsewhere. It’s right here in our community.”
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