Signature Bank, a New York-based full-service commercial bank, announced the appointment of two professionals to new business origination roles and the promotion of several senior officers within its specialty equipment finance subsidiary, Signature Financial LLC. With this initiative, Signature Financial solidifies and strengthens its team of veteran finance professionals to better serve its growing national specialty finance business and clients.
Keith Connors was appointed Vice President, Capital Markets, creating additional capacity within Signature Financial’s Capital Markets team. In this role, Connor will contribute to the growth of Signature Financial’s Capital Markets business line and expanding new origination opportunities from current institutional account relationships. Connors, with eight years of specialty financing experience from GE Company and GE Capital, most recently was Assistant Vice President, Originations & Commercial Operations at GE Capital. He established its Industrial Finance segment, a finance organization focused on delivering incremental equipment and services revenue for GE Company’s Industrial businesses.
Nick Cremonese was named Account Officer – National Third-Party Intermediaries, a newly created position in which he will manage existing third-party intermediary relationships. Prior to joining Signature Financial, Cremonese was Vice President in the Global Liquidity Program at Credit Suisse. In this capacity, he managed a team of business analysts and was Product Lead for unsecured and wholesale funding, cash products as well as loans and deposits products globally. During his 11-year tenure at Credit Suisse, Cremonese also served as Project Manager for key investment bank stakeholders across Treasury, Liquidity and Front Office teams. In addition, he worked on the Fixed Income Treasury Trading Desk and earlier, in product control in equity capital markets.
Signature Financial also announced that six professionals were promoted into new roles. Robert (Bobby) Campbell was promoted to Director - Capital Markets. Campbell will continue to focus on driving portfolio growth and leading Signature Financial’s Capital Markets Buy Desk, Marine Finance Product as well as a Lender Finance Origination initiative. An 18-year finance veteran, Campbell joined Signature Financial in 2012 as Account Officer before being promoted to Vice President, and has contributed significantly to both Capital Markets Buy and Sell desk activity since joining the company.
Michael Ash originally joined Signature Financial in 2013 as Capital Markets Director and is now being promoted to Group Director, Regional Originations & Syndications. Ash will be responsible for direct regional business development, managing seven Executive Sales Officers located in Signature Bank’s metro-New York area footprint. He will also continue to head all syndication activity for Signature Financial, including equipment and franchise finance. Ash has spent nearly 30 years in the finance industry, most recently at U.S. Bank in equipment finance before joining Signature Financial.
Steven Robbins was promoted to the post of Senior Vice President, Director of Asset Management, overseeing asset and portfolio management. Robbins joined Signature Financial in 2012 as Director of Asset Management, from Capital One Equipment Leasing & Finance. Robbins’ equipment finance/leasing career spans 30+ years, which includes stints at GE Capital & AT&T Capital. Robbins is a current member and past Chairman of the ELFA Equipment Management Committee.
Steve Ratner was appointed to the post of Senior Vice President, Deputy Chief Risk Officer. Since joining Signature Financial in 2016, Ratner has contributed in multiple senior roles in risk mitigation and underwriting. Ratner will help grow the specialty finance portfolio while appropriately managing Signature Financial’s risk profile; leading process automation and improving process efficiency as well as reviewing and editing credit policy. He also worked at Capital One in underwriting for 11 of the 40 years of his finance career.
Steve Jason was named Group Director of Vehicle Finance where he will be responsible for strategic planning, budgeting, business development and client servicing across the vehicle funding channel. Jason came to Signature Financial in 2012 as Director of Vehicle Finance, focusing on building client relationships and originations. He too was previously at Capital One Bank, as Director of Business Development and previously served on the Board of Directors of the National Auto Finance Association and the N.Y. Chapter of the National Vehicle Leasing Association.
Michael Jones was appointed an Executive Sales Manager for the National Direct Equipment business channel, and will be leading a sales team that serves the Gulf Coast states. Jones, based in Magnolia, Texas, joined Signature Financial in 2015 as Executive Sales Officer from BancorpSouth Equipment Finance in Hattiesburg Miss., where he was Vice President, Finance Sales, overseeing direct origination sales. Jones is equipped to assume this leadership sales role, based on his 22-year finance sales career.
“These appointments are indicative of the recent growth and expansion within Signature Financial. We welcome Keith and Nick and look forward to their contributions. Over the years, we have been fortunate to attract many industry veterans, such as the individuals currently being recognized. These promotions are well deserved, as these dedicated professionals have each been very successful over the past several years and have directly contributed to the growth of our diverse, profitable portfolio in a safe and sound manner. Their cumulative efforts, along with that of their teammates, is reflected in Signature Financial’s portfolio, which in just over six years, grew to more than $4 billion at year end 2018,” said Walter Rabin, President and Chief Executive Officer at Signature Financial.
“Signature Bank continues to place emphasis on the specialty finance portion of our business. Similar to the recruitment of private client banking teams to our network, we are always seeking to add and advance talented professionals, whether it be through new appointments or promotions. The expansion of the Signature Financial team will support the continued growth and developments of the Bank as a whole,” noted Joseph J. DePaolo, President and Chief Executive Officer at Signature Bank.