Santander Bank announced that its Commercial Banking division has enhanced its capabilities to better serve the needs of specific industries and has named Emily Vaughan Alexanderson to lead its specialized banking group, serving clients in the non-profit, educational, professional services, and technology and life sciences industries. She reports to Patricia Packard, director of government and specialized banking.  

David Harnisch, Santander Bank’s Head of Commercial Banking, said, “We continue to make significant investments to support our growing commercial business and deliver valuable ideas to help our clients prosper. Our focus remains on bringing customized solutions to every client, and I look forward to Emily’s leadership as we deliver our capabilities to help more clients prosper and thrive within these specialized industries.”

Alexanderson comes to Santander from athenahealth where she held various roles, including chief of staff to the company’s chief marketing officer, senior manager of the strategic planning and operations team, as well as experience on the financial planning and analysis team. Before athenahealth, Alexanderson was with RBS Global Markets where she delivered tailored interest rate derivative and foreign exchange solutions to the bank’s Commercial clients in the U.S. She earned a degree in international studies, political science and economics from Boston College.

“I’m excited to oversee the specialized banking group and work with Emily as we continue to strive to meet the needs of more clients,” said Packard. “Emily brings a wealth of knowledge to Santander.  I look forward to her building a strong reputation as a trusted advisor and financial partner who brings sound solutions to this client segment.”

This investment underscores Santander Bank’s ongoing commitment to adding commercial banking resources and capabilities that align with its unique and distinct value proposition in the U.S. In 2018, Santander expanded its Commercial Banking coverage in the U.S. with new bankers in the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest regions of the country. In addition to the specialized banking group, Santander Bank also added foreign corporate banking, technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) banking, and a family office practice to better serve the unique needs of its clients.