Community bank continues national expansion of SBA Lending Division with two key hires
06/22/2023
TAMPA, Fla. (June 22, 2023) — Continuing its national expansion plans first announced last year, American Momentum Bank’s Small Business Administration (SBA) Lending Division has added two key hires to its Tampa-based team. Berta Garcia joins the bank as Vice President/Senior SBA Loan Processing and Closing Officer, and Shana Redmon joins as Bank Officer/SBA Loan Processing and Closing Officer.
“As we continue bringing on business development officers in different parts of the country and expanding our client base, it’s paramount that we also have a strong support team to process and close these SBA loans,” said Patrick Fenech, Senior Vice President, Managing Director SBA Lending at American Momentum Bank. “Berta and Shana each have 25-plus years of banking experience and significant expertise in the SBA lending space. They’re a terrific addition to our growing team.”
Texas-chartered American Momentum Bank – which is a designated “SBA Preferred Lender,” according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) – announced the national expansion of its SBA Lending Division in May 2022. Since then, the bank has hired 10 SBA lending professionals throughout the country, including Garcia and Redmon.
Garcia began her banking career in 1993, as a floating part-time teller at Barnett Bank. She moved into loan processing in the early 2000s at SunTrust Bank and was introduced to SBA lending at Community Bank of Manatee in 2003. In 2016, she began processing and closing SBA loans, while serving as Assistant Vice President, Packager – SBA Lending at First Home Bank. Prior to joining American Momentum, Garcia was Senior Vice President, SBA & USDA Closing Supervisor at Centennial Bank.
Garcia is a Notary Public in Florida and a member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL). In her role with American Momentum Bank, she will focus on taking loans approved by bank management through the processing and closing stages.
“I’ve known Pat for a long time, and when we connected about this opportunity, I knew it would be a good fit,” Garcia said. “American Momentum is well respected in the industry and takes good care of their team. I’m looking forward to bringing my many years of SBA lending and banking experience to this new role and the growing division.”
Redmon entered the banking industry in 1994, serving as a Branch Manager for World Savings Bank. In 2006, she shifted her focus to loan operations and SBA lending when she joined Community Bank of Manatee. Prior to joining American Momentum, she served as SBA, Flashcap Closing Specialist II at Bayfirst National Bank (formerly First Home Bank).
“I am excited to work with Pat Fenech and his experienced SBA team,” Redmon said. “The professionalism of American Momentum Bank’s SBA team is top-notch, and I have never felt so comfortable and at home as I do with this group of bankers.”
American Momentum established the SBA Lending Division in Tampa in 2016. It has grown from a total of $13.83 million in annual SBA loan production in 2017 to $41.63 million in 2021 – an increase of 201% in five years.
