Sovereign Bank New England has named a new market leadership team in an effort to better serve local markets.

Sovereign Bank New England’s incoming Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Campanelli recently announced a new market leadership team, calling it an effort to better serve local markets with local decision makers, while offering products and services that are normally only available at large banks. Patrick J. Sullivan will lead Massachusetts.

Sullivan, who will officially become the market chief executive officer for Massachusetts in January, cited four areas on which he hopes to focus in the Bay State. He said Sovereign hopes to support the small-business market, a driving economic force in Massachusetts.

The bank also is looking at playing a role in the financial lives of the large college student population in Massachusetts.

“We want to service our student population very well,” Sullivan said.

As part of that promise, Sovereign is launching an aggressive student loan program.

Sullivan also noted that Massachusetts is home to many high-technology companies, which employ people around the state. Sovereign is looking to provide services that help people relocate into the state, especially because many high-tech jobs have tended to migrate out of Massachusetts.

Supporting the tourism and hospitality industry is also an important goal for Sullivan. He said servicing the small businessman and creating more lending programs on Cape Cod are goals for the bank.

‘Quality People’

In October, Campanelli named five market leaders for Sovereign’s New England division. Each leader is responsible for overseeing all business growth in the area, as well as providing leadership to team members and their community.

“This realignment is intended to give more authority to our leadership in local markets so that they can be more responsive to the wants and needs of our customers,” Campanelli said in an October statement.

Campanelli also said last month that the realignment is intended to combine the management of retail and commercial operations to provide stronger integrated services.

Sullivan will lead the entire state excluding Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. He said the fierce banking competition in Massachusetts is one challenge for him and his team members. The improving economy is also something Sullivan is watching carefully.

As the economy improves, he said, it becomes more difficult to retain key people at the bank.

“We’ve had quality people,” said Sullivan.

Working on his plans since May, Sullivan said the bank also wants to be more successful by creating banking centers and serving communities that have the most lending opportunities.

The bank has identified between 65 and 70 branch locations that are considered strong economic centers. Some of those locations include the downtown areas of New Bedford, Plymouth, Falmouth and Hyannis. In Boston, the Prudential Center, State Street, Kenmore Square, Coolidge Corner and the newest branch at Gallivan Boulevard are others considered good areas for business. Chelmsford Center, Needham Center, Revere and Dedham are also key locations, Sullivan said.

“There is a lot of business in these areas,” Sullivan said.

By dividing New England into various banking regions, Sullivan said customers will experience the ultimate convenience because market leaders have the ability to make decisions for their area right away.

“I can commit the bank,” said Sullivan.

He said the market leader structure becomes important when someone needs an answer in a short period of time. For instance, if a small-business owner is looking for a loan by the end of a the week, Sullivan said the bank can deliver it. Another benefit to banking with Sovereign, Sullivan said, is that the bank understands various industries.

“We cover a lot of markets very well,” Sullivan said.

Campanelli said he chose the market leaders, like Sullivan, because they are seasoned banking executives with a broad range of experience.

“These individuals have a clear understanding of our mission, visions, values and strategy,” Campanelli said. “Their strong local business connections and commitment to the community will solidify our presence in the markets we serve.”

Sullivan has 27 years of experience in banking and financial services in New England. He joined Sovereign in 2000 to oversee the bank’s commercial banking activities in Massachusetts. He also was in charge of specialty lending groups consisting of franchise and restaurant lending, health care and education, sports and media, transportation and energy and utilities. Prior to joining Sovereign, Sullivan served as president and chief executive officer of Howard Bank in Burlington, Vt. He also previously worked as a senior lending officer at First New Hampshire Banks, a Bank of Ireland subsidiary.

Looking ahead, Sullivan said he expects that Sovereign will become the premier small-business lender in the area. The market leader also said he wants to see Sovereign participate in more partnership banking in which the bank provides financial services to larger corporations, like Raytheon Co. and The Gillette Co.

While Sullivan will head the Massachusetts division as chief executive officer, other Sovereign executives will lead smaller areas of the state. Kevin E. Flaherty was named as market president for Connecticut and western Massachusetts and William P. Hourihan Jr. was named market chief executive officer for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

Flaherty joined Sovereign in 2000 as market manager for commercial banking in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.

Hourihan began his 33-year banking career with Nantucket Bank and held various positions. Most recently, he was served as the bank’s chief executive officer. Nantucket Bank was a bank subsidiary of Seacoast Financial Services Corp., which Sovereign acquired in July.