Boston-based Eastern Bank named Robert Rivers as its chairman and CEO effective Jan. 1, replacing Richard Holbrook, who retired at the end of 2016.
Rivers has been with Eastern Bank since 2006, serving most recently as president and chief operating officer. He has worked in the banking industry since 1982, starting as a teller at the Old Stone Bank in Providence, Rhode Island. From there he moved to M&T Bank in Buffalo, New York, where he served in various roles from 1991 to 2005, and Commercial Federal Bank in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was executive vice president.
Rivers joined Eastern Bank as chief banking officer in 2006 and became president in 2007, adding chief operating officer to his title in 2012 and Eastern Bank director in 2015.
Quincy Miller succeeds Rivers as president, effective Jan. 1, and will continue to serve as vice chairman of the board. Miller joined Eastern in 2016 as chief banking officer after 10 years at Citizens Bank where he was president of Citizens Bank, Massachusetts, and president of its Business Banking division.
“In just 16 months, Eastern Bank will celebrate our 200th year in business as the United States’ oldest and largest mutual bank,” Rivers said. “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,” Rivers added.