Connecticut Bankers Assoc. Names Brian Canina to Board of Directors

Brian Canina

HOLYOKE — At its recent annual meeting, the members of the Connecticut Bankers Assoc. (CBA) unanimously elected the association’s officers and board members for the 2025-26 term, including Brian Canina, president and chief operating officer of PeoplesBank, as a director at-large.

The CBA is the voice of Connecticut’s banking industry and represents small, regional, and large banks. Providing its members with advocacy at the state and federal levels, in addition to providing educational programs and cost-effective business solutions, the CBA has worked since 1899 to advance, promote, and protect the banking industry in Connecticut.

Joining PeoplesBank in 2009, Canina has since served in a variety of positions, including controller, executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer before becoming president and COO in 2024. Prior to joining the bank, he served as an audit senior manager at Wolf & Company, P.C. The mutual bank he leads has more than $4 billion in assets and 21 banking centers in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. PeoplesBank is expected to open two additional banking centers in New Britain and Hartford, Conn., as well as an operations center at the Hartford City Place II location, in 2026.

Canina is a graduate of Bryant University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, and CIS. He also attended the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and holds a certificate in executive leadership and strategic thinking issued by the Wharton School.