Coleman Report

March 31, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Hot Topic Tuesday: USDA Increases Guaranty for Business & Industry Loans to 85% This percentage increase will apply to all guaranteed loans approved in fiscal year  2026. Businesses must be located in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000; however, the business’s headquarters may be based in…

March 30, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Main Street Monday: SBA Launches 90% “Grocery Guaranty” for Certain Farm NAICS Small Businesses Effective May 1 SBA has rolled out a major update to its International Trade Loan (ITL) Program, announcing that small businesses across America’s food supply chain will now qualify for an enhanced “Grocery Guarantee.”…

March 27, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Fraud Friday: Fake Leases Used to Support CRE Loan Valuation Bring Bank Fraud Charges on $3.8 Million Loan  According to a March 20, 2026, Grand Jury Indictment, Charles Sargent set out to acquire the Chase Block building at 1037–1045 Elm Street in Manchester, New Hampshire, back in February…

March 26, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Movers & Shakers: Gary Carter, Beth Chea & Gary N. Merson Gary Carter Named SBA National Sales Manager at First Internet Bank “I’ve spent much of my career focused on credit and underwriting, which has given me a clear understanding of what it takes to successfully move an…

March 25, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher SBA OIG to Examine Loan Service Providers, High-Growth Volume 7(a) Lenders Last week, the OIG released its 2026 Oversight Plan. Under their “Planned Work Section” SBA Lenders should note the following planned OIG reviews:

April 2, 2026 EDIT: The following is a letter I received from BayFirst President & CEO Tom Zernick. With his approval, I am publishing his response to our previous reporting, clarifying BayFirst is current with its SBA obligations and no payments are outstanding to the agency. Good morning, Bob: I’m writing to address several aspects…

March 23, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Main Street Monday: Quick Service Restaurants Shifting Costs from Labor to Physical Layout Persistent cost pressures and uneven traffic are forcing a deeper rethink of how quick-service restaurants are staffed, built, and run. These are the conclusions from the Citizens Bank Restaurant Industry Insights Feb 2026 report.  Operators…

March 20, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Fraud Friday: Bank CFO Convicted for Inflated Invoices in $4.3 Million Construction Car Wash Loan Scheme Aaron Luneke served as Chief Financial Officer of Bank of the Valley in Columbus, Nebraska, from July 2018 through May 2022. On March 6, a jury convicted him of one count of…

March 19, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Movers & Shakers: David Harper, Ellie Kauffman, & Josh Rawls David Harper Joins North State Bank’s Government Lending Team as VP and BDO North State Bank has announced the addition of David Harper to its Government Lending team, strengthening the bank’s ability to support small business growth across…

March 18, 2026 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher SBA to Review Loans Approved from August 2023 through December 2024 for Eligibility at Guaranty Purchase  The OIG says SBA failed to document 38% of Etran error codes clearances for eligibility for 7(a) borrowers between August 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024. SBA will now “flag 73,302 loans…