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June 4, 2021 BIZ PEOPLE

Skyline Financial names new CEO 

PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED James A. Higgins

Skyline Financial Federal Credit Union of Waterbury recently named James A. Higgins of Naugatuck as its new chief executive officer.

Higgins, who started in May, will focus on expanding fintech services and membership growth and engagement.

Higgins has worked in the financial services sector since 2015 and in the customer experience sector since 2006. He previously served as chief operating officer of FD Community Federal Credit Union, vice president of Webster Bank, and as a business consultant with Fiserv.

As CEO, Higgins said his priority will be putting employees and members first.

“Skyline will be the financial institution of choice where people can comfortably do their banking with a combination of human experience and technological comfort,” Higgins said.

Skyline is located at 3528 East Main St., in Waterbury. It has roughly $37 million in assets and serves more than 4,500 members.

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University of Bridgeport gets new president

The University of Bridgeport’s board of trustees recently selected Danielle Wilken to serve as its twelfth president.

Wilken has more than two decades of experience in higher education, and most recently served as Goodwin University’s provost and dean of faculty.

East Hartford-based Goodwin recently acquired most of the University of Bridgeport's real estate and academic programs in a $32 million deal.

Wilken said she is honored to lead UB as it helps its students “grow both personally and professionally.”

"I look forward to working with members of our faculty, staff, and the city of Bridgeport to continue to make UB a supportive and diverse learning environment that serves the needs of our students and the community," Wilken said.

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Murtha Cullina welcomes new associates

New Haven-based law firm Murtha Cullina LLP has hired four new associate attorneys.

Deirdre D. Foley and Zachary J. Gregoricus have been assigned to the firm’s litigation department, while Raquel Herrera-Soto and Arielle M. Smitt are part of its regulatory department.

Foley is a member of the firm’s Construction Practice Group. She handles construction, product liability, professional liability and insurance coverage matters for clients. 

Gregoricus is a member of the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group, and he represents clients on complex civil litigation and bankruptcy matters.

Herrera-Soto, a member of the Energy, Environmental and Utilities Practice Group, represents clients in a wide range of energy and environmental matters and has experience with state and federal compliance regulations and permitting processes.  

Smitt is a member of the Health Care Practice Group. She represents hospitals, physicians and other health care clients with regulatory, compliance and transactional issues.  

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Webster Bank names new SVP to focus on healthcare financing

Waterbury-based Webster Bank has selected Steve Dowe to serve as its senior vice president and lead its middle market healthcare vertical.

Dowe’s coverage area will encompass the eastern United States. He will be focusing on providing comprehensive commercial banking services to non-private equity owned health care companies with sales between $25 to $500 million.

According to bank leadership, Dowe’s new team of dedicated middle market bankers will complement Webster’s existing healthcare sponsor finance group, which focuses on private equity-owned healthcare financing.

Dowe joined Webster Bank in 2014 as part of the bank’s strategic expansion in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic markets. 

Sam Hanna, executive vice president, middle market banking at Webster, said Dowe’s background, including 20 years of corporate banking experience, will enable Webster to expand its offerings to healthcare providers and health services companies throughout the eastern United States.

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