Rockville Bank Wins Conn. Quality Improvement Award Innovation Prize For Establishment Of Its First High School Bank Branch

Second Consecutive Year Bank Has Been Honored with CQIA

Rockville Bank (Conn.) has been named a recipient of a 2010 silver Connecticut Quality Improvement Award (CQIA) Innovation Prize for the establishment of its first “high school” branch, located at South Windsor High School in South Windsor, Conn. The CQIA is the nation's first state level quality award using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence criteria in a campaign to advance innovative programs that improve quality, performance and marketplace competitiveness.

This is the second consecutive year that Rockville Bank has been recognized with a prestigious silver Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Innovation Prize. In 2009, the Bank was honored for making “Going Green” a part of its business philosophy and everyday initiatives. This included building Connecticut’s first bank with the entire property utilizing “green” technology and engineering, and for developing a variety of “green” banking products and services.

In announcing the 2010 CQIA Innovation Prize, the 12 examiners stated that, “Even in a faltering economy, Rockville Bank has again shown that forward-looking organizations bring forth new products and services.” News of this award comes as the Rockville Bank branch begins its second year of operation at South Windsor High School as students head back to school.

“The standards required for this award are high and we are very honored to be recognized as a recipient,” explains William J. McGurk, President and CEO of Rockville Bank. “We established this unique private-public
partnership with South Windsor High School to enrich the students’ educational experience and help to prepare them for the future. Our branch serves the school’s students, faculty and administrative staff only, and is managed by a supervisor from Rockville Bank and two student employees called ‘student bankers’.”

The award will be presented to Rockville Bank at the 23rd Annual Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership’s Conference on Quality and Innovation to be held on October 29 at the Water's Edge Resort in Westbrook. The event is open to the public. For information, call Sheila Carmine, CQIA Founder and Executive Director at (203) 322-9534.

The 23-year old Connecticut Quality Improvement Award (CQIA) is the nation’s first state level quality award using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence and Innovation criteria in a
campaign to advance innovative programs that improve quality, performance and marketplace competitiveness. CQIA supports “Five Steps to the Baldrige Award” with the entry level CQIA Innovation Prize, midlevel Breakthrough Quality Award, and highest level Leadership Quality Award. All awards recognize manufacturing and service companies, health care, education, government and other not-for-profit organizations. The Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership, Inc., a Connecticut not-for-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation, receives no money from state or federal government.

Rockville Bank is a 21½-branch community bank serving Tolland, Hartford and New London counties in Connecticut. It provides a convenient banking lifestyle for Colchester, Coventry, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Glastonbury, Manchester, Rockville, Somers, South Glastonbury, South Windsor, Suffield, Vernon, seven days a week in Tolland, and three Big Y supermarket locations. For more information about Rockville Bank’s services and products, call (860) 291-3600.