First Niagara Commercial Finance (FNCF), the asset-based lending arm of First Niagara Financial Group, Inc., has promoted banking veteran James V. Cannella to the position of Senior Business Development Officer. In his new role, Cannella will be responsible for new business development in the bank’s asset-based lending (ABL) portfolio in Ohio, western Pennsylvania and Buffalo and Rochester, New York.
Cannella will be based at First Niagara’s Cleveland office and will report to Keith Broyles, Senior Vice President of Business Development Asset-Based Lending at FNCF.
“Jim Cannella is a great addition to our team who brings significant experience and a successful track record in developing relationships in the asset-based and broader corporate banking business,” Broyles said. “He will be a key member of our national ABL business development team as we look to execute on our growth strategy.”
Cannella spent most of his 26-year banking career across all disciplines in the asset-based lending field. Cannella joined First Niagara in 2012 as a Senior Relationship Manager responsible for expanding First Niagara’s market presence in Ohio. Previously, he formed and was President of the ABL group at Huntington Bank. Also, he was Senior Vice President and Business Development Manager at FirstMerit Bank, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager at National City Bank, and Senior Vice President and Business Development Officer at PNC.
“I’m very pleased to continue being a part of First Niagara’s strong team of financial professionals and in this new role to help continue building First Niagara’s ABL position in key markets,” Cannella said.
Cannella is the former President of the Ohio Chapter of the Commercial Finance Association and currently serves on its Board of Directors. He is also a former board member of the Ohio Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and a member of the Association for Corporate Growth. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the Pennsylvania State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.