Coleman Report

August 13, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher In this week’s episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman sits down with Chuck Evans, Executive Director at Lenders Cooperative and a highly respected leader in the SBA lending industry. Chuck brings decades of experience shaped by a unique journey that started with unconventional beginnings and evolved through…

August 12, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Two Paths in Small-Balance Lending: BayFirst Exits, FSWB Expands In the wake of BayFirst’s decision to shutter its small-loan program and lay off 51 employees, the community banking sector has been reminded of the volatility, and opportunity, in niche lending markets. While some institutions are retreating from high-touch,…

August 11, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Main Street Monday — Restaurant Lending Outlook: 2025 Brings Stability, but Beef Costs Up 12% For lenders eyeing the restaurant sector in 2025, the narrative is shifting from crisis management to strategic opportunity—but with a few red flags worth noting. Inflation Easing, Planning Horizons ExpandingThe Federal Reserve projects…

August 8, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Fraud Friday: NJ Loan Broker Pleads Guilty in $7 Million SBA Hotel Flip Scheme A New Jersey loan broker has pleaded guilty to a complex SBA 7(a) loan fraud scheme that exploited hotel transactions, fake equity injections, and concealed ownership to defraud lenders out of millions. Jennifer Watkins,…

August 7, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Movers & Shakers: Tonya Mazurek, Van Phan, & Alfonso Castell De Oro Tonya Mazurek Joins Community Bank & Trust as Senior Vice President, SBA BDO “I’m excited to join a team of top-notch SBA professionals here at Community Bank & Trust,” says Tonya. “This role allows me to…

August 6, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher In this week’s episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman sits down with Shay Kleinschmidt, Vice President of Lending at FranFund and a 2019 Coleman Emerging SBA Lender of the Year. Shay shares her unique path into small business lending, the rapid growth of franchise financing, and her…

Meet the Candidates: Charles Rho & Diane Heyden for NAGGL Board A Coleman Conversation: Charles Rho In this episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman speaks with Charles Rho, President of VelocitySBA and a candidate for the NAGGL Board of Directors. With over 20 years of experience in commercial finance, including a high-level tenure at…

August 4, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher The Coleman Report Top 100 SBA 7(a) Lenders – Live Oak Bank Exceeds $2 Billion in FY 2025 Today’s Main Street Monday introduces our Coleman Report top 100 SBA lender list. We will update this list monthly. Congratulations to all! View list here

August 1, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Georgia Businessman Brandt Frost IV Accused of Operating $140 Million Ponzi Scheme Brandt Frost IV, a Georgia-based businessman, has been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for allegedly operating a $140 million Ponzi scheme through his company, First Liberty Building & Loan. According to the SEC’s…

July 31, 2025 Bob ColemanFounder & Publisher Movers & Shakers: Andrew Bond, Travis Dribble, & Kim Eells Countybank’s Andrew Bond Elected Assistant Vice President “Andrew is a key member of the commercial banking team in the Upstate, and this promotion is well deserved,” says David Tompkins, Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Manager. “Andrew works…