Pioneer Bank Announces Rob Nichols as Senior Vice President of Commercial Development

11.13.2019

Albany, New York – Pioneer Bank announced today the appointment of Rob Nichols to the leadership position of Senior Vice President of Commercial Development.

Nichols, who most recently served as Director of Commercial Banking at Key Bank, will serve as an integral part of the Bank's commercial leadership team, as well as focus on developing new opportunities for Pioneer in the technology and innovation sectors. He began in his new role earlier this month.

In addition to his lengthy and successful career in commercial banking, Nichols is an actively engaged Angel Investor, both individually and as a member of the Eastern NY Angels investment fund, where he serves on the investment screening committee. Nichols has been a program mentor for student teams in the National Science Foundation ICorps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and in corporate sustainability projects at University at Albany. He is a multi-year judge of the NYS Business Plan Competition.

"Rob's extensive experience working with startups and in the technology space will be a true asset to Pioneer Bank as we expand our commercial banking division and pursue innovative new programming and offerings," said Pioneer Bank CEO Thomas Amell. "Our bank is well positioned to make such investments, and we believe that the work Rob will do at Pioneer will be beneficial not only to our organization, but to the business community in the Capital Region as a whole."

"I am eager to contribute to the positive impact that Pioneer Bank is making in the Capital Region – not only for its customers, but for the business community at large," said Pioneer Bank Senior Vice President of Commercial Development Rob Nichols. "I believe there is tremendous opportunity to support companies of all sizes in the technology space in particular, and I look forward to introducing new ideas in the near future about how Pioneer can work to launch such businesses to new heights through innovative programs and initiatives."

Nichols is a board member at the Capital District YMCA (Audit Committee), as well as a member of Upstate Venture Connect's UNY50 leadership network and is on the advisory board of the New York State Business Plan Competition. Nichols has recently been on the advisory boards of the Upstate Capital Association, NY Global Business Network and Pine Street Capital. He holds degrees from the University at Albany and Union College, and certificates from Babson College and Harvard University.