BOSTON – A banking giant with roots in Berks County is expanding its presence in the U.S.
Santander U.S. has completed its $12.3 billion acquisition of the Connecticut-based Webster Bank.
The transaction was first announced earlier this year in February.
Webster’s headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, will become a corporate hub for Santander in the U.S., alongside its headquarters in Boston and corporate hubs in New York, Miami and Dallas.
“This is a pivotal moment in Santander’s long journey in the United States that underscores our confidence in the strength and opportunity in the U.S. market,” said Christiana Riley, CEO of Santander U.S., in a news release.
“By bringing together Santander and Webster, we are combining two organizations with shared values and strong customer relationships. Our five growing businesses will now serve nearly eight million customers across the U.S., with expanded reach and resources to better support their needs and the communities we serve.”
Webster Bank has about 200 branches in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.
Santander U.S. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Madrid-based Banco Santander, which was founded in 1857.
The bank traces its U.S. roots to 1902 in Wyomissing, Berks County, when it began doing business as a building and loan known as Sovereign Bank.
Sovereign Bank was acquired by Santander in 2010. The following year, it formally moved its U.S. headquarters out of Wyomissing to Boston, Massachusetts.
Then, in 2013, Sovereign’s name was changed to Santander. That same year, the Sovereign Center and the Sovereign Performing Arts Center in downtown Reading were rebranded as the Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center. Those names could be changing again; a new naming rights partner is being pursued for both venues.
According to its website, Santander Bank currently has a presence in 25 countries, with 149 customers around the globe and nearly $90 billion in U.S. assets.