New England Real Estate Journal

Union Savings Bank elects Murphy as chairman of the board

March 27, 2026 - Movers & Milestones
Shown are: Chelen Reyes, USB president and CEO and
Dr. John Murphy, chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Danbury, CT Union Savings Bank (USB) has elected Dr. John Murphy, former president and CEO of Nuvance Health, chairman of the Board of Trustees, effective February 2. Dr. Murphy succeeds Lucie Voves, who is retiring from the position of chair but will remain on the board. 

Dr. Murphy is not new to USB. His service to the bank spans more than 20 years, beginning with his election as a Corporator in 2003. He later became a Trustee and has since played an active role in the bank’s governance through service on numerous board committees, including his role as chair of the Trust Committee, Risk Committee, and the Loan Policy Review Committee, among others. 

“Dr. Murphy is a natural choice for the chairman of the Board position,” said Chelen Reyes, president and CEO of Union Savings Bank. “He has a deep understanding of USB and our strategic vision for the future. Dr. Murphy consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to our institution and the communities we serve, and we look forward to his continued guidance and leadership.”

“I am honored to assume the role of chairman and eager to collaborate with the leadership team as well as our board members in steering the bank toward continued success,” said Dr. Murphy. 

Before retiring in 2025, Dr. Murphy had a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in healthcare leadership and clinical practice in neurology. Most recently he was president and CEO of Nuvance Health from 2010 to 2025. Dr. Murphy was instrumental in the merger between Western Connecticut Health Care Network (WCHCN) and Health Quest Systems, which formed Nuvance Health. Prior to that he was executive vice president of Danbury Health Systems, where he also served on the board.

In 2020, Dr. Murphy was named the inaugural Businessperson of the Year by Westfair Communications, in recognition of his advocacy on behalf of the healthcare industry and patient care on the local, state, and national level. Dr. Murphy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Fordham University and is a graduate of medicine from Rutgers Medical School. He resides in Newtown.