Page 24 - BusinessWest January 20, 2021

Monson
Continued from page 22
the ball to Moriarty, and let him shoot it, because it would be like throwing a brick against the back- board when I let it go. I couldn’t put the ball in the ocean.”
Despite those references, the two were much- heralded for their exploits on various fields, and for their work together, even if it was only for two years.
“The vision for the bank is to continue to be the community bank that these communities need.”
Indeed, while Moriarty continued to make headlines at Monson High in the mid-’80s, Rou- ette was playing soccer at Old Dominion, major- ing in Economics, and, when home from school in the summer and winter, working as a teller at Monson Savings Bank. During those short stints, he impressed those at the bank enough to get
a job offer of sorts — specifically an invitation to become part of the lending team when he graduated.
“When I was a junior at Old Dominion, I already knew where I was heading,” he said, add- ing that he did join the bank and has been there ever since.
Moriarty, who would take a far more circuitous route to his hometown bank, has memories of seeing Rouette heading for a work in a suit while
he was toiling for the town’s Highway Department while he was home from college for the summer. “It’s 95 degrees out, Michael’s going to work in a tie, and I’m thinking, ‘I want to work in air conditioning.’”
He would, first at Coopers & Lybrand in Hartford, and later at Aetna, HealthSouth, and then Unicare.
“But the attraction to Mon- son Savings was always in the back of my mind,” he recalled, adding that, during some conversations with Rouette, he brought up the possibil-
ity of joining the bank, and eventually did so in 1998 as an accounting manager.
The two have risen in the ranks over the years, with Rouette rising to senior vice president and chief lending officer, and Moriarty eventually climbing to senior vice president and chief finan- cial officer in 2011.
When Lowell announced his intentions to retire not quite a year ago, both men sought to succeed him as president and CEO. Those titles would eventually go to Moriarty, but the two essentially form a new leadership team, one that brings complementary strengths and shared values.
Moriarty noted that, through his career at the bank, he’s been focused on the finance side of the equation, while Rouette has concen- trated on lending and customer relationships, and, in his new role, will add retail to his list of
Monson Savings’ newest branch, on North Main Street in East Longmeadow, was opened at the height of the pandemic last year, but it is nonetheless off to a solid start.
responsibilities.
“Mike is very customer-focused, while I have
somewhat different responsibilities — strategy, human resources, finance, marketing, compli- ance, and technology,” said Moriarty. “I think the bank is positioned to use our strengths in a proper way.”
Net Results
All this prompts more flashbacks, and the inevitable analogies, to 1984 and that soccer semifinal against
Monument Moun-
tain, where Moriarty
Monson
Continued on page 45
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24 JANUARY 20, 2021
BANKING & FINANCE
BusinessWest
Staff Photo