WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP INC
8-K, 1999-08-27
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 25, 1999


                         WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



             RHODE ISLAND                0-13091                05-0404671
(State or other jurisdiction of        (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)         File Number)         Identification No.)



      23 Broad Street, Westerly, Rhode Island                   02891
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (401) 348-1200



                                        N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Former name,former address and former fiscal year,if changed since last report)


<PAGE>


WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC.
FORM 8-K


Item 5.  Other Events
         On August 25,  1999,  Washington  Trust  Bancorp,  Inc.,  parent of The
         Washington   Trust  Company,   announced  that  it  has  completed  the
         acquisition  of Pier  Bank,  a Rhode  Island-chartered  community  bank
         headquartered in South Kingstown,  Rhode Island. Effective at the close
         of business on August 25,  1999,  Pier  Bank's two  branches,  in South
         Kingstown  and  Narragansett,  Rhode  Island,  will operate  under "The
         Washington Trust Company" name. Conversion of customer deposit and loan
         accounts  will take place on  September  24,  1999.  As a result of the
         acquisition,  Washington  Trust Bancorp,  Inc., had pro forma assets at
         June 30, 1999 of $1.077  billion.  Washington  Trust  Bancorp,  Inc. is
         headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island.

         Attached  hereto as  Exhibit  99 is the press  release  announcing  the
         completion of the acquisition.



Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
         a.       None
         b.       None
         c.       Exhibits
                  Exhibit No.    Description
                  -----------    -----------------------------------------------
                      99         Press release of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc.
                                 issued August 25, 1999.

                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------
Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                  WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC.
                                                            (Registrant)



Dated:  August 25, 1999               By:          David V. Devault
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:  David V. Devault
                                            Title: Executive Vice President,
                                                   Treasurer and Chief
                                                   Financial Officer
                                                   (principal financial officer)


<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.       Description
- -----------       --------------------------------------------------------------
    99            Press  release  of  Washington   Trust  Bancorp,  Inc.  issued
                  August 25, 1999.


<PAGE>


Contact:          John C. Warren, Chairman
                  and Chief Executive Officer
Telephone:        401-348-1200
Date:             August 25, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                Washington Trust Completes Pier Bank Acquisition
                 Increases Market Share in Southern Rhode Island

Westerly,  Rhode Island ...  Washington  Trust Bancorp,  Inc.  (Nasdaq  National
Market:   WASH)  today   completed  its   acquisition  of  Pier  Bank,  a  Rhode
Island-chartered  community  bank  headquartered  in South  Kingstown,  RI.  The
acquisition  is part of Washington  Trust's  strategy to expand its consumer and
commercial banking presence in Rhode Island.  Effective at the close of business
today,  Pier Bank's two branches,  in South  Kingstown and  Narragansett,  Rhode
Island,  will  operate under "The Washington Trust Company" name.  Conversion of
of  customer  deposit  and loans accounts will take place on September 24, 1999.

John C. Warren,  Washington  Trust Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer stated,
"The  acquisition is beneficial to Pier Bank customers and the local  community.
It provides  customers  with more  convenient  access to full  service  banking,
including  trust  and  investment  management  services."  As a  result  of  the
acquisition,  Washington  Trust had pro forma  assets at June 30, 1999 of $1.077
billion,  deposits  of $653  million  and loans of $527  million.  The  combined
institutions have 14 branch offices,  including 3 supermarket  branches,  and 25
ATMs.

Warren also  announced  that Joseph E. LaPlume,  former Pier Bank  President and
CEO,  will assume the position of Senior Vice  President  and Regional  Manager,
with  responsibility  for Washington  Trust's  Narragansett,  Wakefield,  Bonnet
Shores, Charlestown and Richmond branch offices.



                                 - M O R E -


Washington Trust/ Page Two
August 25, 1999

Under  terms of the  agreement,  Pier  Bank  stockholders  automatically  become
stockholders  of  Washington  Trust  Bancorp,  Inc.  upon  exchange of Pier Bank
shares.  Washington Trust will exchange .468 shares of its common stock for each
share of common stock held by a Pier Bank  stockholder.  In addition,  Pier Bank
stockholders  entitled to a fraction of a share of Washington Trust common stock
will be paid an  amount  of cash  equal  to the  product  of such  fraction  and
$16.5458, subject to applicable withholding taxes.

Washington Trust Bancorp,  Inc. is the parent of The Washington Trust Company, a
Rhode  Island-chartered  bank  founded in 1800.  The Bank offers a full range of
financial  services,  including  trust and  investment  management,  through its
offices in  southern  Rhode  Island  and  southeastern  Connecticut.  Washington
Trust's common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R) under the symbol WASH.
Stockholder   information  is  available  on  the   Corporation's  web  site  at
www.washtrust.com.

                                    # # #

This release contains certain statements that may be considered  forward-looking
statements  within the meaning of Section 27A of the  Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The
Corporation's actual results could differ materially from those projected in the
forward-looking  statements  as a result,  among  other  factors,  of changes in
general  national or regional  economic  conditions,  changes in interest rates,
reductions in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and
investments,  changes in the size and nature of the  Corporation's  competition,
changes in loan default and  charge-off  rates,  and changes in the  assumptions
used in making such forward-looking statements.




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