American Momentum Bank grows SBA lending division with new hire in Atlanta

01/13/2025

American Momentum Bank grows SBA lending division with new hire in Atlanta

American Momentum Bank has hired former U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) attorney Laurence Leopold as vice president, SBA business development officer III, as the bank continues its national expansion of the SBA lending division. Leopold is based in Atlanta, Ga., and will serve clients nationwide.

Texas-chartered American Momentum Bank is a designated “SBA Preferred Lender,” according to the SBA. The SBA lending division is based in Tampa, Fla., and has been on a growth trajectory since announcing its national expansion in May 2022. The bank serves businesses nationwide.

“Laurence has more than 30 years of lending experience, both with the SBA and USDA,” said Patrick Fenech, senior vice president and managing director of SBA lending for American Momentum Bank. “His knowledge and experience have been invaluable to customers and business owners over the years, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”

Prior to joining American Momentum Bank, Leopold served as the senior SBA business development officer at Incredible Bank. In 2024, he originated and closed more than $12 million in SBA 7(a) and USDA Business and Industry (B&I) loans nationwide for manufacturing, restaurant and hospitality clients.

Leopold began his career as an attorney for the U.S. SBA in Dallas, Texas. He then moved to the Georgia SBA District Office, where he continued in his role as attorney and advisor. In 2002, he transitioned into banking and has served as vice president and senior vice president for several national and regional banks, including BB&T (now Truist), South State Bank, Ameris Bank, High Trust Bank and Touchmark National Bank. He has served in various roles in the banking industry, from regional credit officer to commercial lender to the department head of two government-guaranteed lending divisions.

In his role at American Momentum Bank, Leopold will be responsible for sourcing well-qualified SBA 7(a) loan opportunities and building relationships with small business owners, referral partners, brokers and other industry professionals. He will focus on financing for construction, commercial real estate, business acquisitions, partner buyouts and business financing, such as debt refinancing and franchise lending.

“Throughout my career, it’s been rewarding to support small business owners in a variety of industries as they achieve their financial dreams and objectives,” said Leopold. “I’m looking forward to doing that with the support of a customer-focused bank like American Momentum Bank and with a team across the nation working toward the same goal.”

Leopold earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston and his juris doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He also attended Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, where he studied comparative tax law and international negotiations.

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