Thomas Perko, former Washington Trust president, dies at 85

Thomas Perko, president of Washington Trust Bank from 1979 to 1990, died on Dec. 30. He was 85.

Perko worked for Washington Trust and its holding company for nearly 50 years, joining the Spokane financial company as a computer programmer. After graduating with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University, Perko began his career selling room-sized computers for IBM.

He was recruited to Washington Trust by his former Stanford classmate, Philip Stanton, said Peter Stanton, the bank’s current chairman and CEO and Philip Stanton’s son.

“My dad had the utmost confidence in (Perko’s) abilities,” Peter Stanton said Tuesday. Perko subsequently led Washington Trust during a period of tremendous growth for the bank, Stanton said.

“Internally, he was known as a very smart, very driven leader,” he said.

Perko also was active in civic affairs, through the United Way, Rotary International, Junior Achievement, the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and Momentum. He also served on the board of Sacred Heart Medical Center.

A memorial Mass will be held 12:30 p.m., Jan. 8, 2016, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 330 E. Boone Ave.