Depicted here is a gentleman who persevered from humble beginnings picking cotton on southern plantations, to become a prosperous business owner in a northern city. His name is William Evans. He shines shoes for a living, yet his real specialty involves the soul. At age 101 he has experienced a lot in his lifetime, and he continues to work as the shoeshine man and unofficial “mayor,” at People’s United Bank headquarters in downtown Bridgeport, CT. Wherever he is present —whether in his apartment building, the bank lobby, or being a patient at the hospital, he is known to all as someone who brings out the best in all people. His love and spirit are boundless.