Purple and gold will be the theme Thursday at downtown Washington’s The Bank Bistro and Bar, as the East Carolina University Alumni Association will host a networking event for local Pirates.

The event will feature two ECU alumni with a wealth of business experience to share with other alumni at the lunch, according to a press release from the alumni association. Jim Chesnutt, a 1963 graduate and president of National Spinning Co., and Pat Lane, a 1967 graduate, philanthropist and retiree from R.J. Reynolds Corporation will both share their stories with ECU grads.

The lunch and program will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and cost for ECU Alumni Association member is $10, $20 for non-members.

While The Bank’s owner Mary Carolyn Walker’s father, Larry, went to ECU, she said the reason why organizers chose the restaurant as the venue for the alumni event was far simpler.

“They really like our restaurant,” Walker laughed. “We’re opening just for them. We do events basically every week, especially this time of year.”

Walker said she welcomes special events held by organizations like the ECU Alumni Association because it’s a way to get the word out about the downtown restaurant.

“It‘s good because it brings people in that wouldn’t necessarily come in,” Walker said. “Every single event we have, I have someone come up to me and say ‘What a pleasant surprise;’ ‘I had no idea you are here.’ We love it.”

Dress for the event is business casual, but school colors — purple and gold — are encouraged.

According to Assistant Director of Alumni Communications Jackie Drake, there are over 2,200 ECU alumni in Beaufort County. All ECU graduates and friends of the university are welcome to the networking event.

Registration for the lunch is requested by Tuesday. To register, visit PirateAlumni.com/Dec12WashingtonNetworking or call 1-800-ECU-GRAD.