Keynote Speaker
George Edward Foreman
Olympic Gold Medalist, 2X Heavyweight Champion of the world and Entrepreneur.
NACLB 2023 Speakers
Description
Patrick Manning is CEO at ROK Financial, a leader in the alternative and commercial lending space. For more than a decade, Patrick has been managing sales processes and teams educating them on the intricacies of business financing. Having been a sales representative himself, Patrick not only is well-versed and respected within the industry but brings first-hand experience to his leadership style. Patrick is considered an expert in team building and boosting company morale with his approachable style, allowing him to successfully coach thousands of sales agents and financing professionals throughout his career.
Manning began his career with ROK Financial nearly a decade ago as a sales representative.
His electric personality and passion for people and processes made Manning stand out among his peers. He quickly rose up the ranks, managing sales teams and holding multiple management and executive roles through his tenure. One of Manning’s main responsibilities is to help build and develop departmental leadership as well as strengthening the relationships among ROK’s employees, partners and lenders.
Patrick’s passion for helping small businesses goes beyond the businesses and partners that ROK serves. Patrick is known for engaging with small businesses in and out of an office setting. Whether it be contributing on partner webinars, attending local and national events or simply engaging and answering questions within groups and message boards on social media, Patrick is ready and willing to lend a hand to all those in the SMB world, and eager to make new connections.
Description
Sam Duda is a dedicated professional serving as the Team Lead Loan Officer at RCN Capital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sam understands the intricacies of the lending landscape, leveraging his extensive knowledge to forge strong connections with mortgage brokers and real estate investors. In addition, Sam takes on the responsibility of managing and mentoring a team of junior loan officers, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing their professional growth and imparting his industry insights.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Sam is an avid college football fan, enjoys playing golf, and has a passion for travel.
Description
Steve Glenn, CEO at ARF Financial, co-founded the company in July of 2001 with a mission to provide easy access to affordable and flexible financing to a wide variety of businesses nationwide. Mr. Glenn’s responsibilities include hiring, training and supervising sales representatives who originate and service loans as well as developing and nurturing national referral partner relationships. Mr. Glenn was previously President and CEO of Gusto Marketing Services, LLC, a niche restaurant advertising company that held contracts with many major metropolitan newspapers, including The Houston Chronicle, The Miami Herald, The Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News and the San Francisco Chronicle. Mr. Glenn joined Gusto Marketing Services in 1998 as Division Vice President. He was promoted to President and CEO in December 1999 to lead the company’s sales and marketing growth. His background includes sales and marketing management in broadcast, direct mail, restaurant promotion and fundraising. He also has more than 30 years’ experience in sales, business finance and marketing. He is a Platinum Sponsor and regular presenter/trainer for CCTG and a Platinum Member of the NACLB Advisory Board.
Description
Bill Canny is the President and co-founder of Masters Commercial Capital Group. He brings 30+ years of sales and marketing experience and alongside his business partner, Jared Klock, prides himself on helping clients fund diverse financial needs. They believe networking and determination are what create paths to funding deals and Bill credits the entire CCTG organization in finding early success. That feeling of helping clients fund their commercial
endeavors is what pushes Bill to get creative and non-traditional. To him, building trust and taking time to get to know people are also top priorities.
Bill is the husband to Patty, a middle school math teacher in Connecticut and the father to 4 children. Parenting, coupled with his business experiences, has taught him to stand by the motto of “don’t worry about what you don’t know.” This philosophy has led Bill to be a perpetual learner and to always strive to gain new knowledge and solutions. Learning along the way is crucial, as he knows that you get out of it what you put in.
Bill’s faith in Jesus Christ and nurturing of his children, the oldest with special needs, has given Bill immense perspective and endless gratitude. He enjoys drives to sporting events, catches in the backyard, showing how to fix things, cooking, hiking, golfing, meeting with clients and trying to keep a healthy balance in his life.
Description
Jeffrey Tesch
Chief Executive Officer
Jeffrey Tesch, Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for overseeing the operations of RCN Capital, including sales growth initiatives, underwriting review with compliance oversight and leadership of senior level strategic planning. Joining the Company in 2010 as Managing Director, Tesch led efforts to develop a national brand in private lending with the best practices and transparent products for a diverse customer base. Since RCN’s inception, Jeff has personally overseen over $3 Billion in originations. Jeff’s previous real estate experience was as an investor in both commercial and residential properties, ranging from single family homes to commercial retail centers. Jeff currently serves as a member of the American Association of Private Lenders’ (AAPL) Ethics Advisory Committee and as an Advisory Council member for the National Private Lenders Association.
Description
Andrew Whitmire serves as the Broker Sales Manager at Lima One Capital, leading the team’s onboarding, referring, and partnering of investors and mortgage brokers in the private lending space. Prior to joining the firm in 2018, he worked in financial services and promotional sales for a talent acquisition firm.
Whitmire earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Furman University where he helped the admissions department pilot the use of CliftonStrengths Assessment with incoming student groups—an initiative now part of a campus-wide introduction to the college experience.
Description
T.R. Hazelrigg IV
Co-founder and President
Prior to founding Avatar in 2003, Mr. Hazelrigg joined a private lending company in 1995, where he quickly became one of the nation's leading loan originators. Utilizing his considerable network, he led the effort to expand the firm’s lending platform by dramatically increasing the typical loan size and extending the geographic reach nationwide. To date, he has originated, structured and funded over $1 billion in nonconforming loans. T.R. graduated in 1994 from the University of Southern California's top-rated entrepreneurial program with a BA in Business Administration, where he was voted “most likely to succeed” by the faculty.
Website
https://paradigmef.com/
Description
Tyler founded Paradigm Equipment Finance in 2011 with the goal of helping those that struggled to get financing for their business at traditional institutions. He has been in the lending industry for over 20 years as a commercial and residential lender. Prior to founding the company, he worked in Utah and Arizona as a commercial lender for a large regional bank. He is an experienced lender in commercial real estate, SBA, equipment, accounts receivable, and hard money. In his current role at Paradigm, he has raised equity and debt funds in excess of $90 million. He has grown Paradigm into one of the premier equipment lenders in its space.
He has a passion for golfing and spending time with his wife and three children. He also enjoys attending football games for his Alma Mater, the University of Utah along with serving within his community.
Description
Bailey Turner
Senior Vice President, Market Strategies
An entrepreneur from a very young age, Mr. Turner always had a mind for business. In his twenties, he started, grew, and sold several small businesses. When he found the equipment finance industry he discovered his passion and his life took on a whole new trajectory. Bailey believes that all business is based upon relationships. This is evidenced by the fact that 90% of his customer base has secured multiple schedules. Bailey has funded hundreds of millions of dollars over the past 12 years that he has been involved in the equipment finance industry.
Bailey lives in Utah with his wife and 6 children. In his free time, he can be found riding his Harley, skiing, cheering for his sons in various athletic endeavors, and traveling with his family.
Description
Eric Goldman is Vice President Business Development of NFS Leasing, Inc. Mr. Goldman is responsible for customer acquisition, customer development and customer relationship management.
Prior to joining NFS Leasing, Mr. Goldman served at several independent equipment leasing firms as well as GE Capital, People’s United Bank and Bank of America. Mr. Goldman brings 30+ years of commercial finance and lending experience. Eric graduated from Lehigh University in 1991 with a BA in Business Administration where he was member of the Football Team and Delta Upsilon Fraternity.. He currently resides in Fairfield, CT with his wife and son.
Description
Jeff Brannon is a Joint Venture Partner and Head of Business Development for SLIM Capital, LLC. Jeff started in the equipment finance industry in 1998 as an account manager for a large brokerage. He then went onto various entrepreneurial endeavors while still keeping his main focus on the commercial financial space.
He has been a single shingle broker, has run a 45 person sales organization and is now focused on the direct lending side. Jeff has been an active angel investor with equity interests in 14 companies and is always looking to find creative solutions to get deals done. Jeff graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a BS in finance.
Email
Christopher@creditbench.com
Phone Number
(727) 399 5662
Description
Chris Hackney has dedicated his career to helping small businesses grow through community outreach, education, and increasing access to capital through the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program as SVP, Director of SBA Loan Originations for BayFirst National Bank based in St. Petersburg, FL.
His SBA knowledge and experience is contributory to BayFirst’s ranking as a top SBA Lender in the country and the number one SBA Lender in Tampa Bay. Prior to his leadership role at BayFirst, Chris amassed invaluable experience as an SBA loan underwriter for numerous years with a community bank based in his hometown of Atlanta, GA.
Description
Shane Brandt is the founder and CEO of Aspen Commercial Lending. With a 20+ year background in sales, real estate and financial services, he finds that he is able to work with clients with all types of backgrounds and business needs. Too many good businesses struggle to get the financing they need. Shane tirelessly works to quickly find those solutions through his many trusted lending partnerships.
Aspen Commercial Lending
No two businesses are exactly alike and should not be treated as such. We believe your business deserves tailored commercial lending plans and business loans to help you reach your goals. To do that, our experts analyze your financial situation and consult with you about the products that may be best suited to your needs. Aspen Commercial Lending specializes in Government Guaranteed Loans (SBA 7(a), SBA 504, USDA) and Commercial Real Estate transactions.
Description
Ryan Collins serves as an SBA Business Development Officer for Fund-Ex Solutions Group, helping small business owners across the country get the capital they need — and achieve financial success. He began his career as an accountant and now applies his financial-forward focus and expertise to the SBA 7(a) lending process.
Dedicated to serving small businesses with the help of the SBA program, Ryan takes a hands-on approach with his borrowers and referral partners. He understands the complexities of SBA regulations and guides his clients every step of the way.
Before joining Fund-Ex Solutions Group, Ryan helped launch an SBA 7(a) program at a large community bank in Iowa.
Based in Reinbeck, Iowa, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, training in his home gym, and serving his community as a volunteer firefighter.
Description
Amy joined Celtic Bank as Assistant Vice President of Business Development in October 2015. Amy has over 7 years of experience in commercial lending and 7 years in the financial services industry prior entering commercial lending. Amy began her banking career at Home Loan Investment Bank as a Commercial Loan Administrator and worked her way up to Senior Commercial Credit Analyst. Amy is a graduate of Brown University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Amy currently serves as the NCAA Division I Head Diving Coach at the University of Rhode Island.
Description
Jared Weitz is the CEO and founder of United Capital Source (UCS), one of the fastest-growing business financing brokerages in the nation. Jared entered the finance world as an underwriter and quickly grew in the ranks. Once joining the business financing industry, he knew he'd found his calling. Jared believes every company deserves the opportunity to expand to its highest potential, and he is committed to supporting that cause.
In 2011 UCS was founded, a technology-enabled sales and marketing engine responsible for facilitating over 1.2 billion dollars to over 28,000 businesses nationwide. Through this work, Jared won the National Commercial Loan Broker of the year award in 2019, and UCS has been listed on the Inc5000 list twice in 2015 and 2017. In 2022, UCS expanded its physical office presence to south Florida.
Integrity comes first for Jared and is the root of his dedication to providing honest and straightforward services. More than a decade later, the culture built within the firm has helped to retain his original management team. When it comes to hiring talent, youth is not a liability for Jared, and he invests as much in his employee's career growth as he does his business.
Through his years as a business owner, Jared gained a great deal of knowledge that he is committed to sharing with young entrepreneurs and business owners. Jared has since been featured in many publications, including Forbes and Inc, providing financial and business advice. Jared is also the Broker Council Chairman for the Small Business Finance Association (SBFA), a non-profit dedicated to ensuring small businesses have access to the capital needed to grow and strengthen the economy, and site on the Advisory Board of the NACLB. Every month, he donates a portion of all proceeds from his company to charities doing meaningful work locally on Long Island and worldwide.
Jared lives on Long Island with his wife Allison and their 5-year-old son Maxwell.
Description
Ken Peng is the director of business development and marketing for Elevate Funding, a boutique revenue-based financing funder based out of Gainesville, FL. He joined Elevate in 2015 as one of its earliest employees, having extensive customer service and business development experience across a wide range of industries, from real estate data and wealth management services to alternative finance. After studying Business Management at the University of Florida, his focus throughout his professional career has been in developing strategic relationships, client relations and vendor management. Peng is also a former food writer, social media manager and marketing creative with a passion for networking, helping small businesses and good food.
In his personal life, he enjoys exploring new restaurants, writing music on his guitar or piano, modifying cars and living out his dreams as a fake New Yorker in Manhattan from time to time. From 2018 to 2023, he headed up the largest monthly automotive gathering (Gainesville Cars & Coffee) in the Alachua County area. And from 2013 to 2021, Peng was a successful food writer who has appeared on both local and national television, and published in multiple publications. Come meet Ken at NACLB this September, and ask him all about Elevate Funding as well as where to eat in Las Vegas.
Description
Tony Cimino is the VP of Business Development at ROK Financial and is a Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP). He oversees the Business Development department, which is responsible for sourcing new relationships with potential partners. The department as a whole generates more than $100 Million in new cash advance loans annually. Tony’s main responsibility is to provide mastermind product and sales training for the remote sales, internal sales and partnership divisions at ROK Financial.
Tony attended William Paterson University, where he played college football while receiving his bachelor's degree in Finance. After graduating, Tony hit the field again by coaching at his alma mater for more than two years. His passion and enthusiasm resonates on and off the field which translates to the workplace where Tony is known as the company’s ‘Hype Man’.
Tony is passionate about expanding his network; helping provide the resources small business owners need to be successful by attending local and national events, hosting monthly webinars, and engaging on all social platforms. Tony has also been instrumental in the development and launch of ROK’s proprietary lead generating technology, BOOST (Broker Oriented Origination Success Tool) which provides lead flow for its sales representatives. Tony welcomes the opportunity to talk business and learn more about ways to work together.
Website
https://www.libertyloan.net/
Description
Scott Wright is the president of Liberty Commercial Capital and has been a leader in the Finance industry for over 25 years. His philosophy about commercial finance planning starts by taking the time to get to know his clients and understand their needs. With his top notch team of experienced financial professionals and his affiliation with the world’s top financial institutions he is able to solve some of the most complex commercial finance issues. As a direct conduit lender he can offer the most competitive pricing and flexibility in the commercial and business loan market. As a result, Scott has an unblemished reputation as a trusted advisor that produces results.
In 2005 he was designated as a Master Financial Professional (MFP) by the American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) and began his career by earning his BSBA majoring in finance from The Ohio State University in 1989. His resume includes management and executive level positions at American General, Banc One Financial Services and MidAm Financial Services / Sky Financial. Scott has been an independent mortgage finance advisor since 1999 as President of Liberty Financial and currently in his role at Liberty Commercial Capital. Most recently, he received the Most Creative deal award at the 2018 National Alliance of Commercial Loan Brokers (NACLB) annual conference for 2018.
Description
Diane boasts over 25 years of expertise in the pension industry, consulting, and customer service sectors. Currently, she is dedicated to assisting clients, lenders, brokers, and franchisors throughout the country in discovering the most suitable funding options for their businesses. One of Diane's notable skills, a Tenet Financial Group specialty, is working with clients who possess retirement funds. She adeptly guides and informs her clients about accessing these funds for business purposes.
Her extensive experience at MassMutual Life Insurance, particularly in the Pension area, has laid a strong foundation for her profound understanding of 401K and Profit-Sharing Plans. During her tenure at MassMutual, Diane worked in the Sensitive Plan Unit, taking charge of administration, training, compliance, and customer service.
Over the years, Diane has held other notable positions, such as Senior Account Executive at CIGNA and Senior Project Manager at Robinson Consulting—a company renowned for its expertise in project management and customized software development in the healthcare industry.
Diane has been an esteemed Senior Consultant at Tenet Financial Group since 2009. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband and has two grown children. When she's not assisting clients or working, Diane enjoys playing tennis year-round and actively participates in a couple of USTA tennis teams.
Description
Lou Gonzalez is a distinguished professional and the co-founder and CEO of Valiant Capital, a renowned boutique investment bank, focused on debt capital and tax credits. Leading the company with expertise and vision, he oversees all operations and corporate strategies. Under his guidance, Valiant Capital has achieved remarkable milestones, including being recognized as a 2023 Inc 5000 honoree and an Inc Best Places to Work recipient.
With a solid foundation in the banking industry, Lou embarked on his career in 2002 and honed his skills through notable institutions such as Bank One, JPMorgan Chase, BBVA USA, and Comerica Bank. Throughout his journey, he has demonstrated a dedicated focus on SME, Commercial, and International Finance, allowing him to navigate the intricacies of the financial landscape with precision.
Lou's commitment to excellence has garnered him numerous awards for customer dedication, production, and leadership throughout his illustrious career. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Finance and has received the esteemed President's Student Service Award from George W. Bush in recognition of his outstanding achievements.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Lou treasures the moments spent with his wife and two children, finding solace and joy in their company. He also nurtures his adventurous spirit by traveling abroad, embracing thrilling experiences such as snowboarding and scuba diving.
Lou Gonzalez's influential presence, profound expertise, and commitment to fostering a positive work culture have made Valiant Capital a standout institution. As a 2023 Inc 5000 honoree and Inc Best Places to Work recipient, Valiant Capital's success is a testament to Lou's leadership and dedication to creating an exceptional workplace environment.
Description
Kaitlyn Crowder joined North Avenue Capital (NAC) in May 2018, and is now NAC's Vice President and Marketing Director. In 2022, Kaitlyn was named to the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 List. She specializes in marketing research, digital marketing strategy, branding, content writing, social media, and more. Her creative nature brings a breath of fresh air to a variety of operational areas within NAC. Kaitlyn has historically managed more than 200 clients all around the country and in the Caribbean Islands. She is trained in many facets of marketing including website development, SEO research, PPC management, Salesforce Admin, and much more.
Located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Kaitlyn is an active member of the Digital Marketing Advisory Board for the University of South Florida, on the Board of Advisors for Best Buddies – North Florida, National Alliance of Commercial Loan Brokers Advisory Board member, and lastly, a member of the Advisory Council for The Human Collective.
Description
Dana is a seasoned mortgage professional with nearly 30 years of mortgage lending experience that spans roles as a senior/executive manager in sales, marketing and lending operations for the last 15 years. Her expertise includes development of high performing teams, creating sales growth and strategy, perfecting and implementing solutions to streamline new loan production, new program and product development as well as managing large scale mortgage operations. She has a deep background in mortgage consulting which includes compliance, end to end business reviews and development of targeted and strategic work effort plans. She has worked in all channels of the mortgage business with the last few years focused on the Private Lending/Business Purpose Entity lending space.
Her proven track record is unique in it covers operations, credit/risk and sales and marketing. She is an avid speaker/presenter at numerous mortgage industry events and believes in deep advocacy for education in the mortgage lending space. Dana is a published author, with some of her most recent articles appearing in Mortgage Women Magazine and Deal Maker Magazine. She is actively involved with Habitat for Humanity in her local area as a financial counselor helping families achieve their dream of homeownership and lives in the East Texas area on a small ranch with her husband Sean, their two Labradors and numerous other ranch animals.
Description
Joe Camberato is the CEO and founder of National Business Capital – the leading FinTech marketplace, helping entrepreneurs access competitive financing fast through an easy-to-use online platform and experienced team. Joe knows entrepreneurs because he is an entrepreneur. With a strong vision, determination, and passionate leadership, Joe grew his firm from a small operation in his spare bedroom to one of the top workplaces on Long Island – all without one dollar of private equity.
Description
President - Accounts Receivable Financing
First Business Specialty Finance, LLC
subsidiary of First Business Bank
Bill Elliott has more than 35 years of experience in the commercial finance sector with a special focus on Accounts Receivable Financing and Asset-Based Lending. He spent a considerable portion of his career with Heller Financial and The CIT Group/Commercial Services. He founded Rexford Funding, an independent accounts receivable financing company focused on staffing, transportation, manufacturing, wholesale, and other B2B services.
After selling Rexford Funding, he engaged in several long-term consulting projects in mezzanine and accounts receivable finance. Prior to joining First Business Bank, Bill served as National Underwriting Manager for Triumph Commercial Finance, an asset-based lender.
Bill has been actively involved in the International Factoring Association and the Commercial Finance Association. He has served in fundraising efforts for City of Hope and National Jewish Health. Bill is deeply engaged in his children’s activities and has served as a coach in AYSO, Little League Baseball, and youth basketball. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Notre Dame.
Description
Timothy J. McGoff, Chief Business Development Officer
Mr. McGoff joined Celtic Bank in 2015 and serves as Chief Business Development Officer. He is responsible for driving business growth through management of national sales teams, development of marketing programs and implementation of new processes and technologies. Tim has over 15 years of Commercial and SBA Lending experience including tenure with Citibank and U.S. Bank. Prior to his financial industry experience, Tim held several business and product development roles within the B2B, enterprise software and retail industries. Tim holds a BA in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany.
Description
Joseph Rowell was named Chief Executive Officer in 2021, when North Avenue Capital (NAC) was acquired by Veritex Community Bank in Dallas, Texas. Joseph joined North Avenue Capital as Chief Operating Officer at the launch of the business in 2015, providing 25 years of operating experience in high-profile positions at major investment institutions and expertise in financial services, organizational development, investment operations, business development, and strategic planning.
Prior to NAC, Joseph worked as the Director of National Accounts for Regency Lighting, where he managed a nationwide book of business comprised primarily of Fortune 500 companies. In this role, he worked with C-suite executives, government organizations, and others to develop, execute, and support multi-million-dollar strategic projects to drive energy efficiency for some of the largest and most reputable banking, hospitality, healthcare, and retail properties in the country.
Previously, Joseph was the Director of Service Development for Wells Real Estate Funds, where he provided leadership and support for the investment operations of a $10 billion commercial real estate portfolio of Class-A office buildings. His daily focus included coaching, training, career development, and day-to-day oversight to enhance a culture of excellence, hard work, and extreme camaraderie within the service and operations team. In his role, Joseph also worked with executive leadership across the firm to, among other things, ensure ongoing compliance with SEC and FINRA regulations, approve all marketing material for operational accuracy and consistency, and develop formal processes to drive productivity, efficiency, and scale.
In addition, Joseph was a member of the Wells University faculty, instructing more than 3,000 registered financial advisors on the firm’s industry-leading operations and service model. He also worked with the Shareholder Services Committee of the Board of Directors to develop and report on key performance indicators and served as a Board Member for the Wells Political Action Committee to enhance the firm’s leadership and rapport among regulators and elected officials at the local and national level.
Prior to his departure, Joseph managed ongoing relationships with some of the largest Broker/Dealers, Investment Banks, and other financial institutions in the country to consult on the operational structure and implementation of the initial public offering of a $4 billion affiliated portfolio company.
In the early days of his career, Joseph worked on the Investment Operations team at the wealth management firm, Ronald Blue & Company (now Ronald Blue Trust, a subsidiary of Thrivent), where he implemented the transition of $2.5 billion in assets under management to Fidelity Investments Institutional Brokerage Services. In this role, Joseph served as the operational liaison between the company’s nationwide branch personnel and Fidelity’s Institutional leadership team.
He is a graduate of Georgia State University, where he earned both an undergraduate degree in Finance and his MBA. He previously held the Series 7, 63, 65, 24, and 99 FINRA securities licenses.
Joseph, his wife, Elizabeth, and their five children, Cameron, Andrew, Carley, Benjamin, and Jacob, live in St. Augustine, Florida. Joseph’s broad experience in financial services, organizational development, sales, and service have opened the door for him to serve in various advisory and Board roles with small businesses and nonprofit organizations in his community, including a 4-year appointment to the St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority Board from 2016-2020. The Rowells attend Redeemer Church in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where Joseph serves on the Board of Trustees.
Description
Alta Commercial Capital
Description
A former pro-bike racer in Europe and Hong Kong, Mr. Christopher Baumann is of American and German descent who's background includes being an EMT specialist and Mercedes-Benz top producer with over two decades of experience in the sales trenches. Chris is a partner with Socotra Capital, has provided the real estate industry with loans banks are unable to finance since 2012, and also plays an active role in his community serving in numerous professional associations throughout California. With his handle bar mustache, he just might be the most interesting hard money lender alive.
Description
Nicholas Pavlik is a Senior SBA Business Development Officer at Huntington Bank. With Huntington being the nation’s largest SBA 7(a) lender by volume, Nick is responsible for SBA lending across 48 states while managing a large referral network.
In his previous role at Huntington, he served as Vice President of corporate communications, and managed all internal and external communications for Huntington’s consumer and business bank – consisting of more than 8,500 colleagues and 1,000 branches.
Before joining Huntington in 2016, Nick worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration as a public relations manager for the Columbus District Office.
Prior to the SBA, he served 12 years in the U.S. Army in public affairs. He deployed to more than a dozen countries in Africa, eastern Europe, and southwest Asia. During his time in service, Nick organized and supported strategic communications and media relations campaigns, missions, and events.
A graduate of Ohio State University, Nick enjoys anything related to the outdoors. He loves hunting, home renovating and traveling. He also serves on the board of directors for Flying Horse Farms, located in Mount Gilead, Ohio, which provides camps for kids with serious illnesses.
Description
Leah is a two-time graduate of The University of Alabama where she majored in Public Relations, Political Science and American Studies. She has served over 10 years across multiple industries in a marketing and public relations role including global B2B supply chain and manufacturing marketing, tourism campaigns, live events management and digital marketing, as well as start-up branding for local businesses. She has been the Marketing Director for Commercial Capital BIDCO and Alternative Capital Solutions for over two years and enjoys working in the highly motivated commercial real estate industry.
Description
Andrew Coon is a highly successful businessman with over twenty years of experience in the financial industry, currently serving as the CEO of CapFlow Funding Group and CFG Merchant Solutions. In 2010, he co-founded CapFlow Funding Group, which has become one of the fastest-growing alternative finance companies in the United States. Mr. Coon also serves as the CEO of CFG Merchant Solutions, providing payment processing and revenue-based merchant services to businesses of all sizes. Mr. Coon holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics from Brown University and an MBA in Finance from Washington University.
Description
Deborah Snyder has enjoyed a more than 20-year career in sales, marketing, membership development, online education initiatives and strategic partner engagement. Deborah served as the VP of Membership and Community outreach for NAWBO (National Association Women Business Owners) for the past eight plus years and found her passion to help women business owners.
Deborah’s current role as Director of Partnerships has allowed her to continue her passion to help empower entrepreneurs. In addition to building strategic partnerships, she also partners with committed entrepreneurs to propel their business beyond expectations. Cultivate provides the opportunity for business owners to gain prospective of their business with a complimentary growth assessment. This provides a road map of where the owner can focus and gain the most traction for growth.
Deborah believes that combining passion and purpose provides the opportunity to impact and help business owners to connect, learn, and grow their businesses and impact the global economy.
Deborah has been married for 32 years and she and her husband have two children together—a 28-year-old daughter just recently married and 25-year-old son. They also love to rescue dogs and have three furry children, who Deborah says she loves “almost as much as my kids!” Additionally, she is a competitive tennis player, ran the L.A. Marathon twice and loves relaxing at the beach—any beach, whenever possible!
Description
Paul Neal, Founder and CEO of Vantage Point Commercial Capital, has over 30 years of experience leading entrepreneurs and businesses toward financial success. He's also the voice behind the "The Entrepreneurial Agent" podcast, where he shares valuable insights and inspiration for budding and established business minds alike. A strong believer in sustainable growth, Paul sees thriving businesses as the backbone of vibrant communities.
Beyond his business endeavors, Paul is a family man at heart, enjoys running, and is always up for an outdoor adventure, reflecting his dedication to a well-rounded and balanced life.
Description
Shane Sherman is the President of 18 Sierra Financial, a private business lending and financial consulting firm. After aiding businesses at the start of the Covid pandemic, he continued to raise capital through 18 Sierra which is invested into Colorado businesses.
Prior to his current role, he was a senior Leader at Danaher, a fortune 150 firm where he led one of Danaher’s business units to double digit growth including assisting merger and acquisition efforts. Prior to his time at Danaher, he co-founded a Leadership Development startup that trained NFL players and coaches.
His career started in the U.S. Military serving as an Army Green Beret spending most of his career at Ft. Carson, Colorado. He conducted multiple global deployments where he led fellow Green Berets and Allied soldiers. Shane has received numerous Military awards for his valor on the battlefield.
He currently serves on the Pikes Peak Hospice Board of Trustees, Colorado Springs Leadership Institute, is an Adjunct Faculty at UCCS, is a Colorado Governor’s Fellow, an SBDC consultant, and was a committee member for Exponential Impact providing businesses with bridge loans during the Covid-19 outbreak. Shane received his Bachelor of Science in Economics at Santa Clara University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
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Bull Market Capital
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Martin Chera has been an owner of Express Capital Financing for the past 8 years, helping his investors and clients in building their wealth in real estate.
Martin has a deep understanding of the inner workings of real estate business operations, he services the needs of investors in real estate helping them identify a qualified property to attain their financial goals.
Martin’s business and life experiences make him uniquely qualified to service the needs of investors. Martin efficiently uses his knowledge and expertise to walk his investors through the stages of selling and buying a property with a market analysis of the return on investment and where the market trends are going in today’s economy.
Martin utilizes the business acumen he acquired over the years to help his investors buy their properties for a maximum return when they are ready to exit and acquire additional properties to fuel the growth of their existing company.
Martin is personally married to every client, providing the best possible service and handling all their deals in an efficient and effective manner so that they can grow their wealth in real estate.
Martin earned his MBA from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY).
Description
Executive Loan Officer Mark Falzone has been with Kennedy Funding Financial, LLC since 2003, continually proving himself to be a particularly staunch, resourceful, and successful representative of the KFI family. Before joining KFI, Mark worked on Wall Street as a financial advisor, where he became adept at investing his clients’ funds according to their individual financial needs and personal investment profile. Mark has been an integral part of numerous successful transactions, and will continue to be involved in many more on virtually a daily basis.
Description
Seth brings more than 15 years of expertise in finance and real estate. Throughout his loan origination career, he has experience in both large and small bank environments. Previously, he served as VP/ SBA Business Development Officer at American Bank of Commerce, where he specialized in SBA 7(a) and other government guaranteed lending programs. Seth brings financing expertise to commercial real estate purchase and construction as well as debt restructure, partner buyouts, change of ownership, equipment financing, and business startups including franchise financing.
Seth has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stanford University.
Description
Brian Greiner is the Head of Partnerships at SmartBiz, the leading online bank network for SBA loans, as well as Bank Term Loans and Lines of Credit. SmartBiz's automated, online platform helps streamline the application process for SMBs looking for $500,000 or less.
Brian is based in San Francisco and leads the Partner Team in helping SmartBiz partners maximize revenue opportunities as they give their clients access to capital to help their small businesses grow. Brian has led partnerships with SmartBiz for 4 years and has spent the majority of his career in small business lending and commercial banking! The SmartBiz Partner Team is here to help our partners grow and we look forward to seeing you, in person!
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Mr. Roberts is Chief Revenue Officer of HouseMax Funding and a 24-year veteran of real estate finance. Mr. Roberts has originated and overseen over 3B in residential mortgage loan production since his career started. Prior to joining HouseMax Funding, Mr. Roberts was a co-founder at a mid-market real estate investment fund that specialized in the acquisition and disposition of distressed real estate and distressed mortgage debt. Over a 9-year period, Mr. Roberts bought and sold over 190M in mortgage loans, and over 215 rental properties. Prior to this, Mr. Roberts was a principle at Urban Funding Group, a mortgage brokerage that specialized in residential and commercial debt instruments, including the formation of mezzanine debt and other tiers of secured debt. In his early years, Mr. Roberts founded and ran OneSource Wireless, and was able to grow this company as a 22yr old young man to 37 retail locations and over 300 employees in less than 2 years.
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Centrex Software
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Jacob Therrien, Business Development Specialist, Since joining the team in 2018, Jacob has been actively involved in expanding Bridge Loan Network’s brand awareness and helping clients optimize their use of the software. With a deep understanding of the real estate industry, Jacob collaborates closely with mortgage brokers and private lenders to deliver educational resources on best practices, empowering them to achieve success. In recognition of his exceptional performance, Jacob was honored with the Rising Star award by the American Association of Private Lender's (AAPL) and appointed to the organization's Ethics Committee. With his extensive expertise in business development, Jacob is committed to providing exceptional service to clients and driving the continued growth of the Bridge Loan Network.
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Chip has over 40 years of experience in the commercial real estate and lending arena. He is a National Commercial Lending Manager at Lima One Capital, and the former CEO of Northwind Financial Corporation specializing in small to mid-cap loans for commercial multifamily real estate projects throughout the United States.
As a #1 best-selling author of ten books, Chip has appeared on numerous radio and television shows including Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and The Neil Cavuto Show, and has authored dozens of articles in various publications. He was also the featured financial expert for Fox News for several years, and appeared on the cable television series “Sweat Equity”.
As a Certified Fraud Examiner, Chip has been involved in many high profile real estate fraud investigations, and has testified as an expert in numerous federal courts.
A frequent industry speaker and panelist, Chip has presented to groups in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Africa on the topics of real estate finance, real estate financial fraud, as well as personal success.
To reach Chip, you can email him at CCummings@LimaOne.com or call him at (616) 977-7900.
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Mitchell Zagrodnik, Partnerships Coordinator, joined RCN Capital in the Spring of 2022. Mitchell brings a strong work ethic, communication skills, teamwork, and ambition to RCN’s Business Development team. Mitchell’s goals are to build new customer relationships as well as maintain existing ones, and to educate potential clients on RCN’s products. Mitchell’s previous work in sales and customer service will contribute to RCN’s longstanding commitment to customer relations. Mitchell graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2018 with a degree in Political Science.
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Brock Freeman is the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at Kirkland Capital Group, which he co-founded. His career has included technology, finance, and real estate in both Asia and America. In Taiwan, he worked as a capital markets analyst. In Hong Kong, he built the sales and marketing department for a software startup. In the U.S., he has held various roles with mortgage lenders, such as loan underwriting and auditing, managing underwriting teams, and constructing mortgage broker origination networks. For a fast-growing mortgage lender, he led a team to create the industry's first web-based end-to-end loan underwriting, processing, and secondary marketing platform. He has also led technology teams at Microsoft and TrueBlue, as well as his own construction software startup. He is a member of the National Small Business Association Leadership Council. Brock graduated from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.
Description
Eric Mazanowski joined North Avenue Capital as a Commercial Lender in 2022, specializing in business development, financial analysis, debt financing, deal structuring, and investment opportunities. In early 2023, he was promoted to Assistant Vice President and Commercial Lender.
Prior to joining NAC, Eric worked for Houston startup Trukology, spearheading business development, operations, and sales for the trucking consulting company. Before his entrepreneurial exposure, Eric spent seven years with JPMorgan Chase Bank, where he held positions within the Investment Bank, Mortgage Bank, and, most recently, the Private Bank. During his time at JPMorgan, he specialized in credit and mortgage lending. Eric earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas A&M University and his Master of Business Administration from Texas Christian University.
Eric is an avid lifelong learner and teacher; he aspires to become an adjunct professor in the near future. He lives in Dallas and enjoys all things outdoors: hiking, camping, kayaking, fishing, and biking. He loves to travel and experience new places, cultures, and cuisines. New to Dallas, Eric is actively seeking community leadership roles in his neighborhood.
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Keith Kirkland has been in the commercial lending industry for more than 30 years. As Senior Vice President of Growth Lending, he is leading the firm’s expansion into the US market. Growth Lending is headquartered in London, England, and has offices in Atlanta, Cape Town, and throughout the United Kingdom. In the US, Growth Lending provides an innovative Selective Invoice Financing product that offers flexible features such as the ability to fund customer concentrations, short-term and bridge structures, single invoice transactions, foreign receivables, and offering its clients the ability to select which account debtors they wish to include in the financing.
Throughout his career, Keith has held senior roles with firms such as Heller Financial, SunTrust Bank, Presidential Financial, and eCapital.
Keith graduated with a Finance degree from the Brock School of Business at Samford University in Birmingham, AL. He is active in industry associations such as the Association for Corporate Growth, the Secured Finance Network, the Turnaround Management Association, and the International Factoring Association. He also serves Samford University as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Brock School of Business and is a member of the university’s Board of Trustees.
Keith Kirkland
Senior Vice President
Growth Lending - US
Atlanta, GA office
(770) 298-4430
keith@growthlending.com
Description
Rich D'Agostino is a 20 year veteran working in real estate, mortgage, and private capital lending. As a top loan originator for Builders Capital, he was personally involved in originating $1B+ in residential development and construction loans. As a long- tenured employee and leader with Builders Capital, Rich has been able to use his knowledge in the business to help others focus on specializing in residential development and construction lending. Rich is now one of the Sales Leaders with the Strategic Accounts Division at Builders Capital where he focuses on training and equipping the Broker community to grow their businesses with Builders Capital. In his spare time, Rich enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 boys doing anything active and outdoors.
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Andrew is a seasoned leader and takes pride in his demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry, in his 20 plus years. Mr. Altschuler excels in Business Development and Client Relationship Management. Along with his reputable skillset in Electronic Payments, Working Capital Products, and Merchant Acquisition, Andrew is also an ETA – Certified Payment Professional and a certified SIE of the Securities and Exchange commission.
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Santiago Rubio is Chief Financial Officer at Idea Financial. He has managed the financial strategy of the organization since revenue inception in 2018. With over 10 years of experience, he is responsible for accounting, financial planning & analysis, human resource, compliance, and legal functions. During his tenure, he has led Idea Financial through both early and later stage debt raising rounds and one growth oriented private equity investment round. Additionally, Santiago works with Idea’s Board of Directors and equity investors to guide future expansion to better meet the needs of our clients. Before joining Idea Financial, Santiago held various finance roles in General Motor’s finance captive (NYSE: GM). Santiago has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
Website
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-poston-your-working-capital-expert/
Description
James Poston, CPA, CMA
James Poston, CPA, CMA is the Managing Director of Business Development for eCapital Corp. For over 10 years he participated in all aspects of the organization including operations, credit and finally business development where he was named as a 40 under 40 Award recipient by Secured Finance Network. Prior to joining the eCapital organization, James served as Executive Vice President and Sales Director for Bibby Financial Services Canada (now eCapital).
He is an experienced product expert in receivables financing, trade finance including purchase order financing, and asset-based lending. Utilizing his experience in developing strategic relationships and nurturing strong networks, James is positioned to expand eCapital’s market footprint and industry associations.
OUR 2023 CONFERENCE CO-HOST
Accelerate your network’s success with frictionless financing and expert advice that breaks down the barriers to growth for every entrepreneur. Working with National Business Capital, leverage our 75+ lender marketplace, 5-star brand, and expert team to offer more financing solutions to your entrepreneur network.
National Business Capital is hosting our 2023 Golf Outing. Learn more about the outing here.