Governor Malloy Appoints William J. McGurk to the Board of Regents

Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced the appointment of William J. McGurk of Somers to serve as a member of the state Board of Regents for Higher Education.

“Bill has a tremendous amount of experience, having spent most of his career with one of Connecticut's most-respected community banks,” said Governor Malloy. “His addition to the Board of Regents — and passion for the system's 17 colleges and universities — will benefit the board's efforts to increase the number of students completing college. Bill's strong connections to the business community will help students gain a competitive edge in the global workforce.”

“A passionate supporter of higher education in the state of Connecticut, I am pleased that Bill has accepted this opportunity to serve on the Board of Regents,” said Nick Donofrio, Board of Regents Chairman. “His banking and community service experience will benefit the system's 17 colleges and universities, and ensure our students receive a quality education that will prepare them for the 21st century workforce.”

“I am honored to accept this appointment and to begin work with the Board of Regents in providing accessible and affordable education for students across our state,” said McGurk. “I look forward to being part of this organization and ensuring our students have rewarding academic experiences.”

McGurk built a successful career at Rockville Bank where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1980 until his retirement in 2011. He has 31 years of banking experience with Rockville Bank — now United Bank — and has worked in the banking industry for 45 years. He previously served as Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Executive Officer of the Clinton Savings Bank in Massachusetts; and Vice President of City Savings Bank of Pittsfield. In 1981, he was elected to Rockville Bank's Board of Directors and served until 2013. Throughout his dedicated career with Rockville Bank, McGurk was a major champion of community banks and had an enthusiasm for the Connecticut Community College system. In 2005, McGurk was nominated by Governor M. Jodi Rell to the State of Connecticut Community College Board of Trustees where he served as Audit Chairman and Vice Chairman until the board disbanded.

An active member of the Manchester Community College Foundation Board for more than 15 years, McGurk served 10 years as Treasurer and was elected Member Emeritus. He was a member of the foundation's Investment Committee and was Honorary Chair of “An Evening of Fine Wines” in 2002 and 2007. In 2005, the Rockville Bank Community Foundation made the second largest gift ever to Manchester Community College (MCC) from a local business to benefit MCC's faculty, students and programs. In 2013, a computer laboratory in MCC’s Rockville Bank Foundation Computer Center was named for McGurk. The William J. McGurk-Rockville Bank Scholarship was created in 2011 to honor his retirement from Rockville Bank and to help students further their academic careers. He also served on the Asnuntuck Community College Foundation.

He  is past Chairman of the Bankers Advisory Board of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and past President of Connecticut Community Bankers Association. McGurk served as trustee at the Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) from 1995–2011, was Vice Chairman and Chairman, and a member of ECHN's Medical Executive Committee. He was elected to the Board of the New England Air Museum in 2012, serves on the museum's Strategic Planning Committee, is a member of the Diocese of Norwich's Finance Committee, and is an active member of Rotary International. He was selected a Business Leader in the Connecticut Business Hall of Fame's Class of 2009, and Hartford Magazine named him one of the “50 Most Influential People of 2009.”

A graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., McGurk is a member of the Presidents Council. He received his MBA from the University of Massachusetts, completed many banking and U.S. Navy educational programs, and is a retired Captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He and his wife Mary have five children, two grandchildren, and live in Somers, Conn.