FIRST NIAGARA NAMES NEW BIZ DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR HV

First Niagara Commercial Finance, Inc. (FNCF), the asset-based lending arm of First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: FNFG), announced this week that David Raphaels has joined the bank as First Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer. In his new role, Raphaels is responsible for developing new asset-based lending relationships with companies in the Metro New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Hudson Valley and eastern Pennsylvania markets. He reports to FNCF National Director of New Business Development Keith Broyles, and will be located in First Niagara’s Tri-State Regional Office in Nyack, NY.

Mr. Raphaels has 30 years of commercial lending and business development experience. He joins First Niagara having previously held similar positions at PNC Business Credit, CIT, Wells Fargo Capital Finance and People’s United Bank.