First Niagara Appoints VP of Small Business Banking for Fairfield County

First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: FNFG), announced the recent appointment of Steven Ferguson as Vice President of Small Business Banking. Ferguson is responsible for working with small businesses in Fairfield County with annual revenue up to $2.5 million to offer them products, services and financial resources from First Niagara to help them expand their businesses. Ferguson will provide small business lending support to 14 First Niagara branches throughout Southwestern Connecticut.

He maintains an office at First Niagara’s regional office in Norwalk, and reports to Thomas Phillips, First Vice President and Small Business Team Leader.

“Steve brings to the table nearly two decades of experience working in the finance industry, specifically with small business and middle market clients in Fairfield County,” said Phillips. “We are confident his expertise and ability to establish and maintain great relationships will be a valuable addition to our successful small business banking team.”

Ferguson joins First Niagara from JP Morgan Chase, where he served as a Business Banking Officer, providing commercial lending solutions to small business, commercial, and private sector clients. He also served as a Financial Services Manager/Assistant Vice President at People’s Bank as well as a Financial Specialist Officer at Wachovia’s Executive Office in Stamford.

In addition to his work in the finance industry, Ferguson is an active member of several organizations in Norwalk, where he currently resides, including the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. He currently serves as a Planning Commissioner for the city, specifically working on Norwalk’s master plans for land use and subdivisions, as well as working on the implementation of the city’s annual capital budget.

Ferguson is a fully-licensed commercial banker and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Kaplan University.