Leslie Ross Lawrence has joined Springfield’s NUVO Bank & Trust Co. as senior vice president and chief credit officer.

Lawrence has experience in commercial lending with strong community focus. She also brings a wealth of experience in creating community-based financial packages for large and small economic development projects, according to a statement.

Lawrence has served in various leadership positions, including regional director for small business banking at BankBoston and BayBank, where she lead a team of small business lenders, business development officers and support staff.

Most recently, Lawrence held the position of director of lending at the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund Inc., a private, nonprofit community development financial institution in Holyoke.

"This is a fantastic addition to NUVO. Leslie is known as one of the premier lenders in the region," said M. Dale Janes, chief executive officer. "She has an outstanding track record supporting small businesses in western New England and her knowledge of banking will lend a new strategic dimension to the management team and the bank."

"I am thrilled to be joining the dynamic team at NUVO Bank," said Lawrence. "The last three years have seen NUVO experiencing tremendous growth. I look forward to being here for the next phase in the bank’s history, contributing to NUVO’s continued growth and providing ongoing assistance to the small businesses we work with."