KeyBank looks to merge Connecticut, Boston markets
New York executive appointed to lead new unit
KeyBank has named one of its executives from New York to oversee a new position in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
James Barger will lead the new division, made up of the bank’s Boston, Connecticut and greater Springfield commercial banking markets. KeyBank announced Barger’s appointment as market president and commercial sales leader on Monday. Barger has been with KeyBank for 15 years and recently oversaw the company’s acquisition of First Niagra bank in Rochester, N.Y. in 2016.
The bank hopes to further root itself in Connecticut and Massachusetts by combining sales and customer recruitment efforts.
In an interview with the Rochester Business Journal in 2017, Barger said KeyBank would be a “bigger” company in three to five years. Barger said the company was poised for further growth then, and he has now been tapped to head that growth in the Connecticut-Massachusetts market.
“During his tenure as Market President, [Barger’s] ability to identify and develop talent, along with his focus on serving the needs of our clients and community, have been instrumental in driving tremendous growth in KeyBank’s Rochester market,” said Joe Markey, KeyBank Regional Executive. “We are very confident in his ability to lead and grow the Connecticut and Massachusetts market with similar success.”
“Strategically aligning our Boston market with the rest of Massachusetts and Connecticut under [Barger’s] leadership allows us to maximize Key’s marketspecific approach throughout both states,” Markey said.
KeyBank is among the 30 largest banks in the country, with around 1,100 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs in 15 states. The Cleveland, Ohio-based bank operates branches in nearly 50 Connecticut towns and has three locations in downtown Hartford.
Slade Rand can be reached at krand@courant.com.