Coleman Movers & Shakers — Ann Marie Mehlum Joins SmartBiz Loans Board of Directors

March 16, 2017

By Bob Coleman
Editor, Coleman Movers and Shakers

Coleman Movers & Shakers — Ann Marie Mehlum Joins SmartBiz Loans Board of Directors

Ann Marie Mehlum Joins SmartBiz Loans Board of Directors

“With her decades of experience both at the SBA and in the broader banking industry, Ann Marie represents the addition of invaluable expertise and guidance to the company’s board of directors,” says Evan Singer, CEO of SmartBiz Loans. “We rely on our board to bring experience-based ideas and insights to SmartBiz, and having led a variety of innovative programs during her time at the SBA, we are confident that Ann Marie will add exponential value to the company’s innovative culture.”

The former associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Capital Access adds, “In my banking career, where I held positions including credit analyst, loan officer, chief credit administrator, and CEO of a business-focused bank, I was always looking for ways to more efficiently extend credit to small businesses. SmartBiz Loans is exciting because their online loan technology makes it easier and quicker for small businesses to get a loan, while also integrating with legacy systems and ensuring compliance with SBA and general banking regulations. It’s better for the small business and better for the bank. I am looking forward to working with SmartBiz to continue this important work.”

Before her time at the SBA, Mehlum spent 30 years in community banking, including founding Summit Bank in Oregon, and serving as an officer at other banks in Oregon and California, including Wells Fargo. She has served on several highly prestigious advisory boards, including the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Advisory Board, the FDIC Community Bank Advisory Board (appointed by FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg) and the Oregon Growth Board (appointed by Oregon’s governor).

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CDC Small Business Finance Hires Antonio Pizano to Aid Underserved Small Businesses in Los Angeles

“We’re committed to making an impact by getting capital into the hands of small business entrepreneurs who’ve historically been unable to obtain affordable financing,” says Robert Villarreal, president of the new CDFI fund. “We want to educate small business owners about lending options in the marketplace so they choose wisely for the sustained growth of their companies. The team we now have in place will help us achieve this goal.”

“We’re thrilled to support this CDFI as an extension of our efforts to give communities an economic boost through small business expansion,” said Kurt Chilcott, CEO of CDC Small Business Finance. “We want to create long-term relationships with Los Angeles-area entrepreneurs and continue to be a voice for all small businesses.”

Pizano, with 18 years of commercial lending experience, will serve as the Los Angeles director of the CDFI. He is teaming up with loan underwriter Joanne Dao, also newly hired by CDC, who has expertise in credit analysis and economic development.