Dietrich Leads NBT Bancorp;

Watt To Succeed Him In 2017

NORWICH – 2016 will be a year of change in NBT Bancorp’s executive offices, the company announced after its board of directors approved a succession plan Tuesday.

NBT Bancorp President/CEO Martin A. Dietrich was promoted to chairman on Tuesday, following the retirement of Daryl R. Forsythe, but only until the end of this year.

At that point, Dietrich will retire and by succeeded by John H. Watt Jr., who Tuesday was promoted to bank president.

NBT operates in New York, Pennsylvania and all the New England States.  It has 13 branches in Otsego County.

Dietrich joined NBT Bank in 1981, rising to president/CEO of the bank in 2004 and president/CEO of the Bancorp in 2006. He is a graduate of Colgate University with a bachelor’s economics.

“NBT has benefited from consistent leadership for several decades,” said Dietrich. “We are pleased to have the resources within our organization to create this succession plan. The Board’s unanimous endorsement of the plan speaks to the high level of confidence they have in John Watt and NBT’s entire Executive Management Team.”

Watt joined NBT in 2014 to lead the Bank’s expansion into Maine and establish a regional headquarters in Portland.  Prior to joining NBT, he was executive vice president at Alliance Bank, which merged with NBT in 2013.  Previously, he worked for JP Morgan.  A Rutgers graduate, he earned a law degree from George Washington University.

The board also gave added responsibilities to  Executive Vice President and President of Wealth Management Timothy L. Brenner, Executive Vice President Matthew K. Durkee, Executive Vice President Joseph R. Stagliano.