Katherine Hoffmann-Reilly: VP, Community Lending Officer at NexTier Bank
Katherine Hoffmann-Reilly is Vice President, Community Lending Officer at NexTier Bank, based at the Butler main office at 300 S Main Street. With 15 years of Western Pennsylvania community banking experience, she leads small-business lending, SBA 7(a) and 504 packaging, mortgage underwriting, and commercial real estate credit for Butler, Armstrong and Westmoreland county borrowers.
Credentials: Certified Community Bank Banker (CCBB) through the Independent Community Bankers of America, MBA Finance from Penn State Smeal College of Business (2011), and BS Economics from Grove City College (2006).
Professional Bio
15 years of Western Pennsylvania community lending.
Katherine Hoffmann-Reilly joined NexTier Bank in 2016 as a commercial lender and was promoted to Vice President, Community Lending Officer in 2021. Over that tenure she has led originations across small-business term loans, SBA 7(a) and 504 transactions, owner-occupied commercial real estate, and complex residential mortgages requiring manual underwriting of self-employment income. Portfolio focus sits squarely inside the bank’s 17-branch Butler, Armstrong and Westmoreland county footprint.
Prior to joining the institution, she spent five years at First Commonwealth Bank (2011–2016) as a Senior Credit Analyst covering middle-market commercial lending across Western Pennsylvania, and five years before that at PNC Community Banking (2006–2011) as a Loan Officer in the Butler metro area. The continuity across three local institutions gives her a working knowledge of Butler County commercial real estate values, Allegheny River valley contractor cash-flow cycles, and the small-business economy that has reshaped around natural-gas midstream and post-industrial manufacturing.
She earned her MBA in Finance from Penn State Smeal College of Business (2011), her BS in Economics from Grove City College (2006), and holds the Certified Community Bank Banker designation from the Independent Community Bankers of America. She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association and the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, and participates annually in ICBA LIVE continuing education on community banking regulation and credit standards.
Areas of Expertise
Four practice areas supporting Western Pennsylvania borrowers.
Small Business Lending
Owner-operated business term loans, seasonal lines of credit, equipment financing and working-capital facilities across Butler, Armstrong and Westmoreland counties. Structure emphasis on balance-sheet-protective covenants for Main Street operators with lumpy cash flow.
SBA 7(a) and 504 Packaging
In-house SBA packaging under the SBA Preferred Lender program — 7(a) working-capital and acquisition loans, 504 fixed-asset and real estate loans. Packaging done inside Butler avoids the week-to-ten-day turnaround delays common with non-preferred lenders.
Mortgage Underwriting
Manual underwriting for self-employment income, gig-economy cash flow, non-W2 borrowers and first-time homebuyers with thin credit files. Conforming fixed and adjustable-rate products plus PHFA first-time buyer and FHA/VA/USDA programs.
Commercial Real Estate
Owner-occupied and small-portfolio investor commercial real estate across the three-county footprint. Active coverage of Butler retail, Kittanning industrial adaptive reuse, Westmoreland mixed-use redevelopment and Armstrong County light manufacturing real estate.
Reference Data: Career Roles
Four-role timeline across three Western Pennsylvania institutions.
| Role | Institution | Years | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| VP, Community Lending Officer | NexTier Bank (Butler, PA) | 2021–present | Small business, SBA, CRE, complex mortgage |
| Commercial Lender | NexTier Bank (Butler, PA) | 2016–2021 | Owner-operated business term and LOC |
| Senior Credit Analyst | First Commonwealth Bank | 2011–2016 | Middle-market Western PA commercial |
| Loan Officer | PNC Community Banking | 2006–2011 | Butler metro consumer and small business |
Published Insights
Selected writing on community lending and SBA practice (titles only).
- Manual Underwriting for Self-Employed Borrowers in Tight Credit Markets (2024)
- SBA 7(a) vs 504 Structure Decisions for Main Street Owner-Occupants (2024)
- Community Reinvestment Act Outstanding Ratings: What Local Boards Actually Track (2023)
- Seasonal Contractor Lines of Credit in Post-Shale Western Pennsylvania (2023)
- First-Time Homebuyer PHFA Program Pairings with Local Mortgage Products (2022)
Speaking Engagements
2024 conference and industry appearances.
ICBA LIVE 2024
Panel discussion on community bank SBA packaging and in-house vs outsourced decisioning. Independent Community Bankers of America annual convention.
PA Bankers Association Annual Conference 2024
Breakout session on Community Reinvestment Act examination trends in Western Pennsylvania and their effect on lending priorities.
Butler County Chamber Business Forum 2024
Keynote on access to capital for Western Pennsylvania small businesses and the role of community banks in post-pandemic expansion lending.