NewHavenBIZ

n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | M a y 2 0 2 3 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 9 newhavenBIZ ENEWS For advertising opportunities please contact: Advertising @newhavenbiz.com or 908-963-9525 Business news three days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday The region's authoritative B2B enews is now read by over 5,400 business decision makers Washington Trust's offices in New Haven are at 265 Church St., or One Century Tower. my viewpoint, and in most people's viewpoint, it is all about the person doing the job, not the gender of the person doing the job, and how effective the person is, no matter what race or gender or religion." In addition to photos of her family and be- loved pets, Noons decorates her office with a large colorful map of Connecticut, Massachu- setts and Rhode Island, the bank's footprint. Noons makes a habit of looking at that map as the bank considers areas where it might want to expand in the future. Sense of humor Noons has been credited with introducing new technology and processes to improve the customer experience, according to her colleagues. She has worked to speed up the mortgage approval process, for example, so customers get a faster answer about whether they have been approved. To simplify the process, Noons evaluated each step to see where automation would work, and if steps could be eliminated. "We are all consumers and have gone through the mortgage process," Noons said. In her new position, Noons said she hopes to boost efficiency even more. How? She says everyone needs to consider their current process, then ask how it can be done in the most effective way. at might mean ques- tioning whether a particular form is needed, or if a task can be performed earlier in the process. "at's how you eliminate waste and unnecessary delays," Noons said. "It is a healthy exercise for any business, not just banking." Noons says she is passionate about adopting fin- tech to make the bank even more competitive and efficient. Another priority is making more people aware of the range of investment and financial services Wash- ington Trust offers, she said. Noons said she's not only known for her banking prowess, but for bringing a sense of humor to the workplace. "When you think of bankers you think of stuffy meetings and going into stuffy offices, that has never been me," Noons said. "I made it a priority years ago, no matter how buttoned up some meetings might be, I was still going to be myself, and I have been true to that for 30 years. ere is room for a sense of humor in almost all business." n PHOTO | MICHELLE TUCCITTO SULLO

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