A Coleman Conversation: Mary Kropp
December 3, 2025
Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher
A Coleman Conversation: Mary Kropp
In this week’s episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman sits down with long-time SBA 504 expert and industry consultant Mary Kropp to discuss her remarkable journey across banking, CDC leadership, entrepreneurship, and national SBA advocacy. Mary reflects on her transition from Michigan banker to New Mexico CDC Executive Director, her decades of consulting work, and how she became one of the most trusted independent loan review professionals in the 504 industry—reviewing portfolios representing more than 43% of all outstanding 504 dollars. She also shares stories of embracing entrepreneurship and finding purpose in helping CDCs strengthen their operations, while offering insights on the evolution of CDC leadership, the future of 504 lending, delinquency trends, and the critical role mission-driven lenders play in job creation and economic development nationwide.
Topics Covered:
✓ Mary’s career journey from banking to leading a major CDC and ultimately becoming a nationally trusted 504 consultant and President of Power Steering Unlimited
✓ How life events redirected her path and reinforced her commitment to entrepreneurship and the 504 community
✓ The reality behind recent delinquency concerns and why Mary believes the rise was temporary, based on the strong performance she sees among leading CDC portfolios
✓ Why training, operational discipline, and modernized processes are essential to maintaining portfolio quality and program integrity
✓ Mary’s belief in mission-driven work and her advice to young professionals about finding purpose, impact, and fulfillment in SBA lending beyond financial rewards
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