Robert Leach was recently named vice president of commercial lending for HarborOne Bank. He has more than 25 years of industry experience, most recently serving as vice president and senior relationship manager for TD Bank. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island.
PBN: What are your top priorities for the year ahead in your new role?
LEACH: One of the biggest things for me will be introducing my network of customers to HarborOne. This is a business of relationships and that’s going to be a priority. I’m looking forward to having a lot of conversations with people about all the benefits of working with HarborOne Bank.
PBN: How does your prior experience inform your goals and expertise in this new role?
LEACH: I’ve had the opportunity to work at both large and small banks in my career. I think sometimes the personal touch can be lost at some of the largest banks. The decision-makers at HarborOne really know their markets very well. Each market has different features and unique dynamics: based on the local business community, the retail banking customer base, the housing market, and other factors.
There is really no substitute for engaged local relationship managers and good local market knowledge. That’s an understanding and appreciation I have developed in my 27 years of banking. I think my exposure to and experience with a very broad portfolio of lending products is also something that will be a valuable asset at HarborOne.
PBN: How, if at all, do you expect rising interest rates to impact commercial lending demand in the coming months?
LEACH: That’s kind of hard to predict. Interest rates have been on the rise, but our activity remains strong in all business lines. There are a lot of variables there, especially with COVID-19. But thus far from what we saw at the end of last year and into 2022, the demand continues to be strong.
PBN: What sectors or types of commercial loans do you expect to grow the most in the year ahead?
LEACH: What we are seeing, at least in the short run, is that all of our business lines in lending are expected to grow: commercial real estate, asset-based lending; commercial and industrial lending; and small-business loans. HarborOne was a leading U.S. Small Business Administration lender in 2021 and we will continue to focus on SBA solutions this year.
PBN: What sets HarborOne apart from other commercial lenders?
LEACH: Once again, our local market knowledge is superior, and our relationship managers are very engaged with each customer to best understand their needs.
But another thing that really sets us apart is our responsiveness. Better responsiveness and faster turnaround time. I think that’s really important for a commercial banking customer that may have financial needs or plans for expansion or capital investment that are very time sensitive. Faster is better from the customer perspective.
Nancy Lavin is a staff writer for PBN. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
