To help further expand the company’s position as the No. 1 middle market
commercial lender in the country, Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) announced today
the formation of an Executive Advisory Board for its commercial banking
operations in New England. Highly respected banking veterans Bob Smyth,
Frederick “Fritz” Ferbert, and David Splaine will provide their
expertise to help analyze, enhance and support the growth strategy of
Wells Fargo’s Boston Regional Commercial Banking Office. The advisory
board is a first for the Wells Fargo Commercial Banking team in Boston
as it adds resources to meet growing demand for commercial banking
services in New England, which is home to more than 3,000 Wells Fargo
team members in all lines of business.
“Boston is one of the largest and fastest growing Regional Commercial
Banking Offices at Wells Fargo, and I’m thrilled to have the support of
these three highly-regarded banking veterans as we grow our presence in
New England,” said Greg O’Brien, regional head of commercial banking in
New England for Wells Fargo.
Bob Smyth is the former chairman, president and CEO of Citizens
Bank of Massachusetts. He serves as board chairman of Tru Technologies
and as a board director for the following organizations: Cybex
International, The Palladium Group, Children’s Hospital Boston, The
Boston Retirement Board, Northeastern University’s School of Urban
Policy, U.S.S. Constitution Museum, and United Way of Massachusetts Bay.
“I am pleased to be associated with Wells Fargo and am impressed by the
size of its New England organization, the wide product array and the
caliber of its people, most of whom have substantial experience in this
market,” said Smyth. “I look forward to helping the team expand their
business in the region.”
Frederick “Fritz” Ferbert is a retired executive vice
president and market executive of Middle Market Banking at Bank of
America and predecessor, Fleet Boston. He began his banking
career in 1975 at Harris Bank in Chicago, joining New England Merchants
Bank/Bank of New England in 1979 where he held senior positions in
middle market and asset-based lending, acquisition finance, and loan
workout. While at Bank of America and Fleet, Ferbert was responsible for
origination and portfolio management and was a senior banking executive
in the region. Ferbert is a board director for Special Olympics of
Massachusetts, Friends for Tomorrow, and Polar Beverages.
“The Wells Fargo approach is old-fashioned middle market banking, with a
focus on building relationships with trust and putting the customer at
the center of everything you do,” said Ferbert.
David Splaine, a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a
corporate finance and consulting veteran. He has 20 years of commercial
and investment banking experience with Fleet Bank, predecessor Shawmut,
and a New Hampshire-based sell-side investment bank. He also served as a
senior vice president with the Boston Bruins and TD Bank Garden. Since
2009, he has been a consultant for Campus Entertainment and the New
Jersey Devils, among other companies. Splaine has been a corporate board
director for the Boston Celtics, Juki Automation, Vested Development,
Meta Controls, and Georgetown Bancorp, and he is a nominating committee
member for the Boston Options Exchange. His local affiliations include
the Music Hall, Portsmouth Historic Society, New Heights, Clipper
Foundation, and The Governor’s Academy.
“An experienced team coupled with a consistent approach is very
refreshing,” said Splaine. “I am excited to play an advisory role with
Wells Fargo in the region.”
About Wells Fargo Commercial Banking
Wells Fargo’s Commercial Bank serves middle market businesses with
annual sales above $20 million. Nationwide, Wells Fargo is the No. 1
commercial bank in the markets it serves. In addition to providing a
world-class customer experience for our clients, Wells Fargo Commercial
Bankers are also committed to being good citizens, from charitable
giving to volunteering to public service.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified,
community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets.
Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides
banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial
finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com),
and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s
customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than
270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the
United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on
Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells
Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help
them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at blog.wellsfargo.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2013