Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) board of directors recently promoted two longtime staff members to executive vice president positions, recognizing their contributions to the bank and commitment to its customers. 

Steven M. Parente has been promoted to EVP, Director of Retail Banking; William C. Tsonos has been named EVP, Director of Commercial Banking. Previously, both held senior vice president titles.

 “Steven and Will are vital leaders at Bank Rhode Island who have been important contributors to the success of our company and the Bancorp for many years,” Mark J. Meiklejohn, President and CEO, BankRI said in a release. “They are highly skilled, professional bankers who care deeply about their customers and the communities we serve.”

 Parente has been with BankRI more than a decade, joining the company in 2009 following years at Citizens Bank as a Senior Vice President. At BankRI, he leads the retail bank, BARI Investment Services and the Customer Service Support Center, as well as mortgage sales and marketing. He has more than 25 years of experience in the financial industry.

A lifelong Rhode Islander who lives in Richmond with his family, Steven has a strong commitment to youth organizations. He is the current president of the Board of Directors for Adoption Rhode Island, and serves as chair of the Chariho Regional School District Audit Sub-Committee. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College.

William Tsonos joined BankRI in 2006 as head of its Business Banking Department before being tapped to lead the bank’s Commercial Banking division. In his role, Will is responsible for growing the bank’s commercial loan portfolio and commercial deposits, while maintaining strong credit quality. Prior to BankRI, he served as SVP for Middle Market Lending at Citizens Bank.

Highly devoted to the community, Tsonos has served on numerous boards and currently is a member of the United Way of Rhode Island and the Woonsocket Investment Committee. He holds a degree from Bryant University and resides in Woonsocket.