Washington Trust's Daryl Clark makes Forbes' 'Top 500 CTOs to Watch in America' list

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Sep 09, 2025, 09:57 ET

WESTERLY, R.I., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Trust is proud to announce that Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Daryl Clark has been named to the Forbes Technology Council's "Top 500 CTOs to Watch in America" list.

This exclusive list recognizes Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) who are driving innovation, digital transformation, and strategic growth across industries. Clark is the only CTO on the list representing a company headquartered in Rhode Island, a distinction that underscores Washington Trust's leadership in technology and its commitment to excellence in financial services.

The Top 500 CTOs to Watch in America is curated by Senior Executive Media in partnership with the Forbes Technology Council, a vetted professional organization for senior-level technology executives at companies generating at least $1 million in annual revenue or having received $1 million in funding.

The list highlights CTOs who are setting the pace for future trends and are recognized for their vision, leadership, and potential to shape the future of technology.

"Daryl's inclusion in the 'Top 500 CTOs to Watch in America' list is a testament to his visionary leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to innovation," said Washington Trust Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer James Mignone. "His work has not only continued to transform our technology infrastructure but has helped position Washington Trust as a leader in the financial services industry."

Since assuming the role of CTO in January 2021, Clark has led a comprehensive digital transformation at Washington Trust, a publicly traded institution (Nasdaq:WASH) with over $7 billion in assets. His accomplishments include:

Cloud Migration: Eliminated all on-premise data centers using a multi-year cloud strategy.
Mobile Device Management: Implemented a modern MDM system for employee devices that improved security.
Cybersecurity Leadership: Partnered with the Chief Information Security Officer to significantly strengthen the bank's cybersecurity posture.
Compliance Excellence: Enhanced protocols that resulted in achieving five consecutive years of clean IT audits.

Clark's thought leadership has been featured in multiple industry publications, including:

CIO Review: Co-authored a viewpoint article on virtualization, showcasing how VMware integration reduced computing footprint by over 80%, expanded server deployments fivefold, and enabled rapid disaster recovery.
Toggle Magazine and Providence Business News: Highlighted Clark's strategic use of technology that led to Washington Trust's recognition as one of R.I.'s Best Places to Work.

Clark supports developing future technology leaders and volunteers his time mentoring students through Computer Science for Rhode Island (CS4RI), a program that helps to build the next generation of tech talent in the region.

Clark holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science with a Minor in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST^®Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is recognized as the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. In 2025, Washington Trust reached a milestone of 225 years in operation, marking its commitment to helping the people, businesses, and organizations of New England improve their financial lives. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management services through its offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and a full suite of convenient digital tools. Washington Trust is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. Washington Trust is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-owned holding company which trades onNASDAQ: WASH. For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.washtrust.com or the Corporation's website at ir.washtrust.com.