Eastern Bank Executive Chair Bob Rivers (left) and Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan pose for a photo to celebrate Sullivan's decision to award Rivers with Brockton's "Keys to the City" award. Photo courtesy of the city of Brockton
Eastern Bank’s most high-profile leader was awarded with the “keys to the city” by Brockton Mayor Robert F. Sullivan just weeks after buying Brockton-based HarborOne Bank.
The city gave the award to former CEO and current Executive Chair Bob Rivers Dec. 10 “for his exceptional civic leadership and extensive community engagement,” Sullivan’s office said, and proclaimed Dec. 10 “Bob Rivers Day.”
Eastern’s acquisition of HarborOne closed Nov. 1, an occasion the bank’s foundation marked with a $1 million .
Even though the bank was buying a local company that had a history of investing in the city, Rivers and Eastern Bank’s long-standing involvement in Brockton appeared to smooth over any hard feelings the deal may have caused.
“There are few business leaders who champion our City of Champions like Bob Rivers does,” Sullivan said in a statement. “He brings a unique perspective to understanding our great City of Brockton and his long-standing leadership as a community banker has helped the economic development and vitality of Brockton. He has been a strong believer in the impact and success of public-private partnerships to create greater economic opportunity and a brighter future for all Brockton businesses and residents. We are honored to thank him with a key to our City.”
Rivers grew up in nearby Stoughton and did his undergraduate degree from Stonehill College in neighboring Easton. He also co-founded the Brockton Partnership, a public-private economic development group.
In announcing the two awards for Rivers, Sulliivan’s office ticked off other ways Rivers and Eastern have helped Brockton, including contributing to a $1 million fund for local entrepreneurs having trouble accessing credit in 2019, sponsoring the Brockton Rox collegiate summer baseball team, and partnering with the Brockton Partnership and the Metro South Chamber of Commerce in 2023 to create a marketing campaign promoting Brockton as “a welcoming place to live and work.”
Rivers was also honored by Brockton’s Massasoit Community College last year as a “Champion of Education and the Community.”
The award came just two days after Eastern Bank told state officials it would be laying off 75 workers from HarborOne’s former headquarters in Brockton next year, as part of efforts to streamline the combined organizations. The bank told investors when the merger was announced that it planned to seek about $55 million in cost-savings, equivalent to about 40 percent of HarborOne’s pre-tax, non-interest operating expenses.
