The former top Connecticut executive of KeyBank has landed a new job amid the usual game of banker musical chairs.
Jeff Hubbard has been named the commercial banking senior vice president of Greater New Haven at Middletown-based Liberty Bank. Previously, he was market president and commercial bank sales leader for Connecticut and western Massachusetts of KeyBank, which entered the Connecticut market in 2016 with its acquisition of First Niagara Financial Corp.
Hubbard was also previously the commercial banking regional vice president at TD Bank for six years.
In his new role at Liberty Bank, Hubbard is responsible for business banking development and building commercial relationships in Greater New Haven. He will lead his team in the expansion of commercial, middle market and small business lending, the bank said.
“Jeff’s reputation across the region’s banking industry, coupled with his decades of extensive business banking and commercial banking experience in the Greater New Haven market, are integral pieces in our overall success in growing our presence in this important market for us,” said David W. Glidden, Liberty Bank’s president. “Not only is Jeff widely respected for cultivating business relationships, taking care of customers’ banking needs and winning new business opportunities but he is a dedicated, recognizable partner in the non-profit community. I strongly believe they go hand-in-hand in community banking.”
Bankers changing banks is nothing new as the industry is known for having turnover. However, the significant merger and acquisition activity in the state lately, makes it more likely that lower level and senior-executive bankers will be switching jobs.
In addition to hiring Hubbard, for example, Liberty Bank also recently hired Adam Jeamel as senior vice president and corporate communications manager. Jeamel held a similar position at United Bank, which was recently acquired by People’s United Bank for $759 million. Meanwhile, other banks, including Ion Bank, have been poaching employees from United Bank and Farmington Bank, which was also acquired by People’s United Bank.
