Univest means business: Adds lenders, as rivals merge

Hugh Connelly, head of small-business lending at Souderton-based Univest Bank & Trust Co., one of the largest remaining suburban Philadelphia banks which has been trying to buy its way into Philadelphia, says Univest has put together a team of small-business lenders:

Michele Ferraro - a veteran of Valley Green Bank, which Univest bought in 2014, is the new Vice President and Relationship Manager for Montgomery County, Chestnut Hill and neighboring parts of Philadelphia;
Nan Kelly - leaves Firstrust Bank to take over as Univest VP-RM for Central and South Philadelphia;
James Phelan - joins Univest from Ascentium Capital LLC, as small-business lending sales manager;
John Powers - joins Univest as SBA lender, from Susquehanna Bank;
David Provost - a veteran small-business owner and salesman, is VP-RM for Bucks County;
Crystal Roddy - a longtime real estate agent, is VP-RM for North and Central Philadelphia. 

The move comes as several profit-starved suburban lenders have been acquired -- National Penn and Susquehanna by BB&T, Continental by Bryn Mawr Trust, Alliance by WSFS. Univest, traditionally focused on the old German farm, food and construction businesses in upper Montgomery County, is trying to raise its urban profile, especially since agreeing to buy Fox Chase Bank last month, and Valley Green Bank in 2014 and Girard Partners (King of Prussia money manager) in 2013.