Spotlight On: Bill Fink, Chief Lending Officer, Provident Bank

October 2025 — Building strong relationships remains key to thriving in a continuously competitive banking environment. For Provident Bank, their mission includes deepening emotional connections with customers by placing them at the center of all they do. In an interview with Invest: NJ, Bill Fink, the bank’s chief lending officer, highlights the company’s strengths and plans for growth in the New Jersey market and beyond.

What have been the key highlights for Provident Bank in the past 12 months?

Founded in 1839, Provident Bank has proudly served generations of customers across New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and metropolitan New York. Commitment to the community has been a cornerstone of our identity for more than 185 years. We are not just located in the communities we serve; we are an integral part of them. Community service and relationship-building are woven into our DNA as an organization, shaping how we support our customers and neighbors, generation after generation.

The past year has been transformational for the bank. In May of 2024, Provident Bank closed on its acquisition of Lakeland Bancorp. Provident Bank was a $14 billion institution, and Lakeland Bank was a $10 billion institution. Both were strong from a capital standpoint, and now have come together as one Provident, a $24 billion regional bank with a deep product set, serving broader combined geographical markets.

What is the state of commercial lending in the markets you serve?

The current economic environment exhibits uncertainty, with GDP growth rebounding from a reduced 1Q25 level, and with consumer spending moderating and tariffs contributing to persistent inflation. The labor market has shown signs of softening, which precipitated the Federal Reserve’s latest 25 bps reduction in the Fed Funds Rate. While the combination of the impacts of tariffs, persistent inflation, and a weakening labor market has decreased overall credit demand, we have not seen a diminished appetite for credit.

As an organization, we conducted our Mid-Year Business Outlook Survey, which polled 1,000 small to mid-sized business owners and executives. The overall sentiment is that the economy continues to be positive, but tariffs are causing uncertainty. Many business owners believe that the economy will grow in the next six months. At the same time, a sizable majority said they were concerned about the impact of tariffs on their business. To combat this, businesses have said that they have been adjusting by changing inventory levels, while other businesses continue to evaluate what to do with their inventory levels. Businesses are also delaying capital expenditures. In terms of pricing impacts, some businesses are expected to pass on the potential costs of tariffs to consumers, while others are considering absorbing those tariff costs. All these changes in the economic environment encourage businesses to look closely at their strategic planning processes and contingency action plans.

What separates Provident Bank from its industry peers?

With our focus on small and middle-market businesses, we bring diversified product options to that market segment. We offer Small Business Administration and small-business loans, commercial lending, and real estate lending. We provide middle-market and specialty lending, such as asset-based lending, mortgage warehouse lending, and healthcare lending. We also offer treasury management services. Our product set is well developed, allowing us to serve our customers’ needs across the spectrum.           

At Provident Bank, the customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. We view it as fundamental to who we are as an organization. When our customers have a positive experience, they become our strongest advocates, a true differentiator in today’s highly competitive banking environment. We are committed to staying local, with decisions made by people who understand the communities we serve while also providing the sophistication and convenience of robust digital solutions, online banking, and a full suite of lending and depository products. This combination of local decision-making, convenience, and comprehensive products fosters strong relationships and drives exceptional customer advocacy, setting Provident apart.

What will be the key priorities for the bank in the coming years?

We are a company focused on responsible and sustainable growth. This means staying true to our purpose – serving our customers and meeting their needs, delivering strong returns for our shareholders, and carefully managing operational, enterprise, and credit risk. 

According to industry experts, in metropolitan New York, New Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania, there are approximately 2 million small and midsize businesses. This population presents a significant opportunity for growth. We are well established in New Jersey, but we can continue to grow in the region, and we want to expand further into areas in metropolitan New York, Long Island, and eastern Pennsylvania. There is a substantial opportunity to grow in those markets because our product set aligns with the needs of small and midsize businesses, and our customer experience is what these business owners are looking for. The combination of the two factors against the market potential offers us tremendous growth in the future. 

What small and midsize businesses need more than anything else is consistent access to credit. This is the top priority for business owners. We want to give customers access to the capital they need, especially in seemingly challenging times. Customers want to have a relationship with their banking institution, and relationship banking continues to have a place in the industry. Our success points to that.

Want more? Read the Invest: New Jersey report.