Providence, RI (June 27, 2005) - Five Citizens Bank employees were recently honored by the Rhode Island National Guard for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve with the "My Boss is a Patriot" award.
"This is a proud day for Citizens Bank and the five employees who were honored," said Joseph J. MarcAurele, President & CEO of Citizens Bank of Rhode Island. "Citizens has a comprehensive military leave policy for our employees and their families. We understand the sacrifice they're making for our country and how important it is for us to show our support."
The five Citizens managers were nominated by their employees who have been activated for duty. Employers qualify for recognition by practicing personnel policies that support employee participation in the National Guard and Reserve. "In a very real sense, the sacrifice that Citizens Bank and all employers make places them right on the front line with our troops," said LTG Reginald Centracchio, Adjutant General of Rhode Island. "We cannot be successful without their support."
Citizens Bank has one of the most comprehensive military leave policies for not only the employee being activated but also the immediate family. Citizens' military leave policy provides a leave of absence for all employees, except temporary or seasonal employees, who report for military leave. Citizens will pay the difference between the employee's base rate of pay and military pay for the duration of active duty.
In addition, employees can continue health, dental, vision and life insurance coverage for the same contributions in effect before the leave. An employee whose spouse or child(ren) has been activated for military service can take up to five consecutive days of paid leave to be with the spouse or child during their in-service leave. If travel to see the spouse or child is necessary, Citizens also will pay up to $500 of travel expenses. Citizens was also the 2003 recipient of the RIESGR Pro Patria Award which is the highest award given by a state and only one company is awarded each year.
The five Citizens Bank employees were:
Wakefield resident Rhonda Duckworth, Vice President/Branch Manager of the Citizens Bank branch in Wakefield. Duckworth was nominated by SPC Christina Deciutiis, who was recently deployed to Iraq for one year.
Cranston resident Brenda Ciccarelli, Manager of Retail Lending services for Citizens and Coventry resident Karen Anglin, Supervisor of Retail Lending. Both were nominated by SPC Joseph Pearl who recently returned after 14 months in Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 103D Field Artillery Unit.
Westerly resident Paul Loveland, Vice President and Director of Enterprise Network Services for Citizens and Osterville, Massachuetts resident Kenneth Anketell, Citizens' Network Operations Manager. Both were nominated by MSgt. Joseph Hart of the RI Air National Guard.
Citizens Bank of Rhode Island, with $11 billion in assets, 78 branches and 145 ATMs, has the largest branch banking network in Rhode Island. It is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $137 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,100 ATMs and approximately 26,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and non-branch offices in more than 30 states. Citizens is the eighth largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc).