Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | March 9, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 3 BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor A er just under three years as the state's secretary of housing and livable communities, former Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus will step down to become the next CEO of Whitinsville- based UniBank. Augustus stepped down from his state job on Feb. 27, taking on the role at UniBank on March 2. He replaces Michael Welch, who announced his pending resignation in January. "Ed Augustus is a collaborative, results-driven leader with deep roots in Central Massachusetts and a strong record of public service. His substantive interaction with the business community throughout the commonwealth, as well as his experience with cities and towns, makes him exceptionally well-suited for this position," Timothy Wickstrom, chairman of UniBank's Board of Directors, said in a Feb. 19 press release. Augustus served as city manager of Worcester for eight years, stepping down in 2022 to become the first-ever chancellor of Dean College in Franklin. Augustus' time at Dean was short, as he stepped down aer nine months on the job in April 2023. Retiring director "Joan's legacy is one of transformation, compassion, and excellence. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and wish her the very best in her well-earned retirement." Kristine Binette, vice president of senior living operations at Worces- ter-based Ascentria Care Alliance, on the retirement of Joan Cusson from her role as executive director of the organization's affiliate Goddard and Hall Senior Living. Pictured is Cusson. Heavyweight board members "Each brings deep leadership experience, strategic insight and a strong track record of value creation that will support our continued focus on innovation, disciplined growth and improving patient care worldwide." Mike Mahoney, Boston Scientific chairman and CEO, on the appointment of Starbucks CFO Cathy Smith and Christophe Weber, president and CEO of Tokyo-based Takeda Pharmaceutical, to the Marlborough manufacturer's board. Pictured are Smith and Weber. New EVP "Throughout my career, I have partnered closely with municipalities, state agencies, and community stakeholders to advance catalytic projects through strong public-private collaboration." Sandi Wolchansky Silk on being named MassDevelopment's new executive vice president of real estate UniBank picks Augustus as next CEO "I am honored to join UniBank and build upon the 150-year legacy of this incredible institution. I look forward to working with Chairman Wickstrom, the Board of Directors, and the very talented team that Michael Welch has so capably led over the last many years," Augustus said in the Feb. 19 press release from UniBank. He was named the secretary of housing and livable communities a month later, becoming the first person to take on that role with the state in over 30 years, as the state deals with a persistent housing shortage. UniBank is the seventh-largest bank in Central Massachusetts, according to information compiled by the WBJ Research Department, with $2.4 billion in local deposits and $2.7 billion in total assets. e bank has 15 branches and 254 employees. Juana Matias, the former regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has been named as Augustus' replacement, according to a Feb. 17 press release from Gov. Maura Healey's office. Matias was appointed to the HUD regional administrator role by former president Joe Biden in 2022. She formerly served as the chief operating officer of MassINC and CommonWealth Magazine, now known as CommonWealth Beacon. W PHOTO | BRAD KANE Since he left his role as Worcester city manager in 2022, Edward Augustus has been chancellor at Dean College, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and now UniBank CEO.

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