September 28, 2023 Eastern Bank’s Christopher Scoville join’s HBI’s Board of Directors
Historic Boston Incorporated (HBI) is thrilled to announce the election of Christopher Scoville, Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending at Eastern Bank, to its Board of Directors in August. With his extensive background in finance and a longstanding commitment to historic preservation, Chris brings a unique blend of expertise to the organization’s governance.
A native of northwest Connecticut, Chris’ association with banking began in high school when he worked as a teller for Webster Bank, and after college as a small business credit analyst for Valley Bank (now part of M&T). “Everything was manual then,” he said recently, “and customer service was retail-oriented. There was no plexi-glass between client and teller and we gave candy to our customers.”
Chris has been in Boston since 2006 working in commercial lending, first with Wainwright Bank and then with Eastern Bank when it purchased Wainwright in 2011. Until recently, Chris was HBI’s chief relationship manager at Eastern Bank, facilitating loans for HBI’s various development projects.
“My admiration for HBI’s mission began from a professional point of view and the very well run organization that it is,” said Scoville, “but I also admire the wonderful results of their work. Boston is a better place because HBI is transforming some of our most treasured historic buildings – like the Alvah Kittredge House and the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm — that would otherwise be lost.”
Chris’ interest in historic preservation extends well beyond finance and banking. Until recently, he chaired the board of directors of the Boston Preservation Alliance, where he exhibited an unwavering dedication to the preservation of Boston’s historic landmarks. And more personally, he and his wife, Pam, and his son Andrew, 13, divide their time between Boston and their beautifully restored 19th-century house in eastern New York state, which showcases their personal commitment to preserving historic properties.
He’s also a committed urbanist. “My passion lies at the intersection of place and neighborhood stability, said Scoville. “Preservationists are always associated with gentrification, but I believe urban communities benefit from preserving their historic character, and that we can protect our communities and their affordability. There is no reason why people should be displaced when their neighborhood gets better.”
Chris is a graduate of Fairfield University and spent a year in Moscow 2001. He holds a degree in Economics and International Studies with minor in Russian and Eastern European studies. He is fluent in Russian and is conversational in Spanish.
HBI’s board of directors is a body of 13 people representing community, real estate and historic preservation interests. The board works closely with HBI staff to identify and invest historically or architecturally important properties whose renewal and re-use will also support community priorities.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Christopher Scoville to the Board of Directors,” said Michael Durand, President of HBI’s board of directors. “His expertise in finance and commitment to historic preservation make him an invaluable addition to our organization, and his unique insights will enhance to our efforts to safeguard Boston’s historic places and strengthen our neighborhoods.”
Please join us in welcoming Chris Scoville to HBI’s leadership.