FORTH WORTH, TX- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Dallas/Fort Worth District Office will recognize 15 area lenders for their success in providing access to capital for small businesses during  an annual Lender Awards Ceremony at the Las Colinas Country Club on  January 21st. SBA Regional Administrator Yolanda Garcia Olivarez will key note the event.  Olivarez heads delivery of SBA loan programs in the South Central Region which includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
“SBA loans in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are up for the third fiscal year in a row with nearly a billion in lending in fiscal 2014,” said Olivarez. “This success is only possible with the commitment of our lenders who play an important role,  as it is through them that SBA financial assistance is channeled to our community  small businesses.”
The award ceremony is in conjunction with the annual business meeting of the North Texas Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NTAGGL).
This ceremony comes as first quarter loans dollars and numbers of loans are up in the DFW district. The district approved 434 loans for $207,496 million from October 1st to December 31st. This represents a significant increase of 28.8% in dollars and 33.1% in number of loans compared to the same period last year. “As unemployment falls and the economy grows, small businesses lending across the country is recovering” said Herbert Austin, SBA’s DFW District Director.
The top SBA lenders being honored next Wednesday were the top lenders across 72 Texas counties that the DFW district covers. “These lenders will be recognized for their great work in helping small businesses receive the financing needed to expand their firms, which creates jobs and strengthens our economy” said Austin.
The following are the lenders being honored:
PINNACLE AWARDS 2014
Wells Fargo Bank
#1 in 7(a) Lending in Dollars
Approved $71.7 million in 7(a) lending
BBVA Compass   Bank
#1 in SBA Lending in units
Approved 348 loans
Greater East Texas  CDC
#1 in 504 lending in Units and Dollars
Approved $35.3 million in 504 lending
Bank of the West
#1 in SBA lending in Small Bank Category
Approved $29.2 million
PLATINUM AWARD 2014
Live Oak Banking Company
Approved $47.6 million
J.P Morgan Chase Bank
Approved $41.2 million in 7(a) lending
GOLD AWARDS 2014
Commonwealth Business Bank
Approved $30.6 Million
SILVER AWARDS 2014
Independent Bank of Texas
Approved $27.3 million
Certus Bank National Association
Approved $24.2 million
Comerica Bank
Approved $22.8 million
North Texas CDC
Approved $20.5 million
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2014
Highest Percentage of loans to Minority and Women and Veterans owned firms
BBVA Compass Bank
Top First Mortgage Lender
J. P. Morgan Chase Bank
Approved 10 deals for $9.3 million
Most Significant Increase in lending – Large Bank Category
Regions Bank
From $6.3 million in 2013 to $14.4 million in 2014
Most Significant Increase in lending – Small Bank Category
Access Bank
From $997,800 in 2013 to $6.7 million in 2014
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