WASHINGTON — Four banks, two small business finance corporations and a surety bond company received Small Business Administration honors last week for their small business lending performance and commitment to assisting small businesses with their financing needs.
President Bush proclaimed the week of April 22-28 as National Small Business Week as a time to recognize "their important role in ensuring that America remains the economic leader of the world."
The awards to lenders were presented by SBA Administrator Steven Preston. The 7(a) Loan Lender of the Year was split into two sub-categories: Large lender for banks with an SBA loan portfolio of $100 million plus, and small lender for a portfolio of less than $100 million. The Large 7(a) Loan Lender of the Year Award went to Associated Bank N.A. of Milwaukee and The Small 7(a) Loan Lender of the Year Award winner was Webster Bank N.A. of Waterbury, Conn.
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Also honored were two Certified Development Companies, or 504 Lenders. The Large 504 Loan Lender of the Year was CDC Small Business Finance Corporation of San Diego. The Small 504 Loan Lender of the Year Award went to Asheville-Buncombe Development Corporation of Weaverville, N.C. The Surety Bond Lender of the Year Award was presented to CNA Surety/Western Surety Company of Chicago.
A pair of Native American sisters from Lumberton, N.C., who dreamt of turning their health care experience into a thriving homegrown business–Bobbie Jacobs-Ghaffar and Lesa Jacobs–were named National Small Business Persons of the Year.
The sisters and members of the Lumbee Indian Tribe, took their combined 40 years of health care experience and launched a homegrown health care business in 2000. At the start, they had only one cell phone, two patients and a certified nursing assistant. Today, Native Angels Homecare and Hospice provides a broad range of services, employing 301 professionals and serving 760 patients daily, with annual sales of more than $9 million.
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