CHERRY HILL, N.J. and PORTLAND, Maine, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, has appointed Richard Bradshaw as Head of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Programs. Bradshaw will steer TD Bank's efforts to achieve SBA portfolio growth and become a top SBA lender throughout the bank's Maine to Florida footprint.

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Based in Greenville, S.C., Bradshaw will build out and manage TD Bank's expanding SBA team in delivering competitively-priced, government-backed financing programs that help small businesses grow and succeed. Bradshaw comes to TD Bank following his outstanding leadership at The South Financial Group (TSFG), where he was instrumental in developing TSFG's successful SBA lending unit starting in Aug. 2009.

"I'm excited to welcome Rich to the TD family," said Jay DesMarteau, Head of Small Business Distribution, TD Bank. "As a veteran in SBA lending and a former military officer, Rich's experience and leadership greatly strengthen our ability to attract and deepen our relationships with small business customers. We are dedicating more effort and resources to these programs and Rich is the right person to lead them."

"I'm thrilled to join TD Bank as Head of Small Business Administration Programs, guiding our growing team of SBA lenders as they continue to provide legendary service to loan applicants from Maine to Florida," Bradshaw said. "TD Bank has long been a leader in SBA lending, holding Preferred Lender status, and I look forward to helping TD Bank become a top SBA lender in every state where we do business."

Bradshaw brings more than 20 years of experience in the lending field to TD Bank. During his time at TSFG, the bank ranked number one in SBA lending in South Carolina and fourth in North Carolina. Before joining TSFG, Bradshaw served as President at UPS Capital Business Credit in Atlanta, Ga. Under his direction, the company tripled SBA origination volume and moved from 45th to the ninth largest lender during the SBA's 2008 fiscal year. Prior to UPS Capital, Bradshaw was Executive Vice President of Commercial Lending at First International Bank, which was acquired by UPS Capital in 2001.

Bradshaw is a retired, highly decorated Commander for the U.S. Navy Reserve, and served five years of active duty as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and a Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the United States, providing customers with a full range of financial products and services at more than 1,250 convenient locations from Maine to Florida. On September 30, 2010, The South Financial Group, Inc. was acquired by TD Bank Group, and its subsidiary Carolina First Bank merged with TD Bank. Carolina First Bank will continue to operate under the trade names Carolina First Bank in North and South Carolina and Mercantile Bank in Florida until conversion and rebranding in June 2011. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. Carolina First Bank and Mercantile Bank are trade names of TD Bank, N.A. For more information, visit www.tdbank.com. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody's. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD." To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Bank