Univest Bank and Trust Co. is expanding its commitment to small businesses with the creation of a lending team dedicated to supporting small businesses in Greater Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley. With big banks taking the place of community banks in the local market, small businesses may face funding challenges so the Univest Small Business Lending team will focus on serving businesses with credit needs less than $1 million and revenues less than $3 million.

“My team’s goal is to help local small businesses grow. This isn’t a transactional business, it is about relationships. This is why we’ve invested in a team of experienced lenders who can build relationships with business owners and serve as advisors,” explains Hugh Connelly, president of Univest Small Business Lending. “We live, work and raise our families in these communities so we have as much to gain as our customers when we help them achieve their business dreams.”

The growing Univest Small Business Lending team currently consists of six lenders:

Michele Ferraro joins the team as vice president and relationship manager for the northwest Philadelphia and Montgomery County Region. She has 25 years of experience working in the financial services industry including spending the last 10 years with Valley Green Bank, a division of Univest Bank and Trust Co. Ferraro is on the board of the Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation and past officer of the Chestnut Hill Business Association.

Nan Kelly joins Univest from Firstrust Bank with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Kelly will serve as a vice president and relationship manager in the central and south Philadelphia markets. She serves as a board member for the Italian American Business Chamber and is a committee member for City of Hope – Women’s Cancer Walk,  Friends of Penn Charter Lacrosse and Need In Deed.

James Phelan serves as vice president and small business sales manager overseeing the efforts of the relationship managers who make up Univest’s Small Business Lending team. He joins Univest from Ascentium Capital, LLC with more than 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. A father of three, Phelan serves as a youth group leader and is a retired United States Marine Corps Major.  

John Powers has 33 years of experience in the financial services industry most recently serving as a Commercial Underwriter for SBA guaranteed loans at Susquehanna Bank. In his role as vice president and SBA officer, Powers will serve as the point of contact for all Small Business Administration loan programs. In addition to loan processing and servicing, he will also work with the team of relationship managers to explain the various SBA products to help business owners understand their unique benefits.

David Provost is a small business relationship manager serving Bucks County. His past experience as a small business owner and success in sales makes him a unique resource for his customers. Provost is involved with the Lower Bucks Chamber and volunteers with Rotary International.

Crystal Roddy is joining Univest with more than 29 years of experience in the financial services industry and will serve as vice president and small business relationship manager for the north and central areas of the Philadelphia region. Roddy serves as treasurer for the Philadelphia Metropolitan Board of Realtists and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  

Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania (UVSP), including its wholly-owned subsidiary, Univest Bank and Trust Co., had $2.9 billion in assets and $3.0 billion in assets under management and supervision through its Wealth Management lines of business as of September 30, 2015. Headquartered in Souderton, Pa. and founded in 1876, the Corporation and its subsidiaries provide a full range of financial solutions for individuals, businesses, municipalities and nonprofit organizations in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Univest delivers these services through a network of 40 offices in southeastern Pennsylvania extending to the Lehigh Valley, Maryland and online at www.univest.net.