Persistence and determination are terms that are apropos descriptors for Eric Anderson. From his formative years as an athlete to his adult years, he continually set high goals for himself and worked tirelessly to attain them.
Eric pursued his dream of being a competitive athlete to become an outstanding basketball player for Stan Petela’s 1966-1967 championship team. As a role player during his sophomore and junior years, Eric developed into a key player, and dependable scorer and rebounder his senior year on a team that included Hall of Fame members, Gerry Schmitz, Ted Kaczynski, Joe Roberti, Bob Hammie, Garry Lipkvich and Dennis Swirsky. It finished the regular season with a 17-1 record and was narrowly defeated by Abbott Tech in the State Semi-Finals. Eric averaged 15 points per game and, in six of the games during his senior year, averaged over 20 points. Eric, Schmitz and Kaczynski were among the top 25 scorers in the New Haven area. Playing as a 6’1” forward, Eric was also great rebounder for the Hornets. His capacity as a leader was ever-present.
Perhaps Eric’s finest game was against perennial, Housatonic power, Lyman Hall, when Eric scored 20 points in a 66-62 victory.
Eric graduated from BHS in 1967 and continued his education at Milford Academy and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Following college, he began his banking career at First Bank, working in retail banking for 26 years, as he advanced to become Vice President in charge of small business lending. Since 1996, Eric has been at Webster Bank and is currently Vice President and Relationship Manager in the Business Banking division. At Webster Bank he has been honored as a top sales performer for nine consecutive years.
In addition to playing basketball at Branford High, Eric was a three-year member of the golf team, where he became a top golfer in his junior and senior years. His love of golf continued into adulthood. Notably, Eric was runner-up in the Pine Orchard Country Club Championship in 1995. In 2006, Eric was selected by Webster Bank to play in the Buick Open, Pro-Amateur Tournament.
Eric has served the Branford Community as assistant midget football coach and as Head Basketball Coach for the 5-8 grade girls travel team for four years.
Active in civic affairs, Eric served as treasurer for Branford’s 350th anniversary and participated in leadership roles for the United Way, St. Raphael Hospital and the American Heart Association. He was the first treasurer of Branford’s Education Hall of Fame. Eric’s interest in public service began as a three-year member of the BHS Student Council and a representative to Youth in Government. He served two terms as Branford’s Assistant Town Treasurer and was a member of the Branford Democratic Town Committee in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Eric and his wife Vicki have two daughters, Kelley and Nicole; and a grandson, Carter.
