BankBoston Names 2 Execs To Be Vice Chairmen; One Is a Woman, in a

BankBoston Corp. Thursday promoted two of its fastest-rising stars, Susannah M. Swihart and Bradford H. Warner, to vice chairman.

The promotions came just two weeks after the $71.4 billion-asset banking company announced a broad management realignment that made Mr. Warner the fifth member of its senior executive team.

The group's other members are Ms. Swihart, vice chairman Paul F. Hogan, president and chief operating officer Henrique de Campos Meirelles, and chairman and chief executive officer Charles K. Gifford.

Ms. Swihart and Mr. Warner were previously executive vice presidents. Analysts said their promotions are rewards for years of good service.

Indeed, both have long been considered strong candidates to succeed Mr. Gifford and Mr. Meirelles, though neither of these top executives has indicated he would leave anytime soon.

Ms. Swihart, 42, has been at BankBoston for 18 years. She was named chief financial officer and treasurer last year, succeeding William Shea, who resigned to pursue other interests.

Before that, Ms. Swihart acted as chief of staff and as a group executive in BankBoston's specialized lending and media and communications groups.

A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, Ms. Swihart became the first female vice chairman in the banking company's 214 years.

"She has won the internal confidence of management, and I think Wall Street has come to view her as a very disciplined manager," Mr. Gifford said in an interview Thursday.

Mr. Warner, 46, was tapped to head the bank's retail group as part of a June 10 management shuffle that split the company into three distinct parts: retail, corporate, and global banking. Previously responsible for building BankBoston's capital markets capabilities, Mr. Warner, a 23-year veteran, steered the bank into the securities underwriting business.

"He has consistently been shown to be a very disciplined, thoughtful executive," Mr. Gifford said.

A graduate of Brown University, Mr. Warner received a graduate business degree from University of Pennsylvania. His new responsibilities include New England branch banking, small-business services, and U.S. private banking as well as marketing, operations, and technology.

BankBoston agreed in May to acquire San Francisco-based investment banking boutique Robertson Stephens & Co. from BankAmerica Corp. Michael McCaffery, chief executive officer of Robertson Stephens, has been tapped to run capital markets at BankBoston once the deal is completed.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER