Berkshire Hills Bancorp plans to expand its commercial banking business in eastern Massachusetts and has recruited an experienced commercial banking team to service middle-market commercial and industrial businesses. The team will be based at Berkshire's Woburn commercial lending office.

The bank has appointed Brant A. McDougall as senior vice president and commercial team leader. Joining McDougall's team will be Christopher P. DeFronzo , John M. Malvey , and Joanne R. Tercho as vice presidents and commercial relationship managers. Also joining Berkshire Bank will be Carol Hamilton as a senior vice president, commercial relationship manager In their new roles at Berkshire, Bank both McDougall and Hamilton will report to Paul F. Flynn, Jr. senior vice president, and asset based lending manager.

McDougall has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of commercial banking and a proven track record. He previously served as a commercial team leader at TD Bank with offices based in Burlington where he led a successful commercial lending team. Prior to that, he had commercial lending roles with GMAC Commercial Credit, GE Capital Commercial Finance and BayBanks, Inc.

Joining McDougall's team will be DeFronzo, who had been with TD Bank for 12 years, most recently as vice president, commercial account manager; Malvey with over 13 years of commercial banking experience from TD Bank; and Tercho, who had served with TD Bank for over 15 years, most recently as vice president, commercial lending relationship manager.

Hamilton previously worked as a commercial senior relationship manager at TD for over 10 years. Prior to that, she served in similar capacities at Citizens Bank and BayBanks, Inc.