Dennis O. Williams Managing Associate

Dennis’s primary focus is on customer acquisition and relationship management, deal sourcing, due diligence, underwriting and deal structuring for Next Street.

Dennis has more than 20 years of commercial banking and public finance experience, as well as extensive relationships in the Boston market.

Before joining Next Street in early 2006, Dennis served as Senior Commercial Banker for Sovereign Bank. During his tenure there, from 2000 to 2006, Dennis successfully introduced and integrated Sovereign Bank to New England, retaining 98% of customers. He was responsible for one of the largest markets in the franchise and for the acquisition, retention, and growth of a $60 million commercial banking portfolio consisting of small- and medium-sized companies in the City of Boston. In this role, Dennis reviewed and assessed the financial and programmatic needs of small- to medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations with sales of up to $10 million and financing needs of up to $5 million. He was also responsible for selling non-credit-related products and services, which included cash management and payroll services, investment and 401(k) services, and SBA and other guaranteed loan programs. In addition to his daily responsibilities, Dennis was named to a task force examining product offerings and services.

From 1993 to 2000, Dennis was Senior Vice President and Regional Sales Manager for Fleet Financial Group’s Northern New England Business Banking Group, where he led the sales and marketing of financial services to businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Dennis managed a team of 11 professionals and was responsible for loan volume, deposit and fee income. He also served as Chairman for Corporate Giving to Organizations.

Dennis has also served as Director of Financial Services for the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Boston, where he led the agency’s business loan and technical assistance programs. Prior to that, Dennis was Manager of Debt and Investments for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, where he developed and managed the multi-billion-dollar capital financing effort to clean up Boston Harbor.

Dennis is a member of the service fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., and a supporter of the United Way. Dennis has served on the Board of Directors for St. John’s Educational Center, Inc., in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and as financial advisor to both the B.E.L.L. Foundation, Inc. (Building Educated Leaders for Life) in Dorchester and Self-Help, Inc. in Brockton. He is an avid consumer of ethnically diverse music and art. Dennis is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta with a B.A. in Banking and Finance.