Coleman Movers & Shakers – Gary Siddens, Mihir Patel, Amer Khamis, and Craig Byers

August 4, 2022

Delaney Sexton
Contributing Editor

Coleman Movers & Shakers – Gary Siddens, Mihir Patel, Amer Khamis, and Craig Byers

Gary Siddens Joins American Momentum Bank’s Expanding SBA Team as VP, BDO

“Gary has a strong and tenured background in financial services and a well-established network in the market,” says Patrick Fenech, Senior Vice President, Managing Director SBA Lending at American Momentum Bank. “We’re excited to have him on the team and are looking forward to the role he’ll play in helping the SBA division expand in the Midwest.”

Siddens’ career has spanned over 30 years in various business development roles in the financial services industry. Immediately prior to joining American Momentum, he served as a Nationwide SBA Business Development Officer at Harvest, the fastest growing non-bank SBA lender in the U.S. Prior to that role, he spent 20 years working for several St. Louis-based banks as a commercial lender, with a focus on owner-occupied commercial real estate, SBA and leveraged lending. In his new role with American Momentum, Siddens will be responsible for sourcing well-qualified SBA 7(a) loan opportunities. He will focus on building relationships with business owners, as well as referral sources, such as business brokers, loan brokers, commercial bankers, CPAs, attorneys and commercial real estate professionals.

“I enjoy SBA lending because it’s about helping small business owners realize their dreams,” Siddens says. “We deal with people every day who work hard to own their own business. And if they don’t have access to the capital they need to grow and don’t qualify for a conventional loan, we can help them be successful, which is really gratifying.”

“I’m excited about this new job opportunity because American Momentum has capital to lend and a very efficient credit approval process,” Siddens says. “We business development officers have direct access to a credit officer for deals up to $3 million, and that enables us to move quickly on deals.”

American Momentum Bank Welcomes Mihir Patel as VP, Business Development Officer

“Mihir’s education in finance and his background as an analyst gives him a strong foundation to succeed in this role,” says Patrick Fenech, Senior Vice President, Managing Director SBA Lending at American Momentum Bank. “We’re excited to have him on the team and are looking forward to the role he’ll play in helping the SBA division expand in the Southeast.”

Prior to joining American Momentum, Patel served as SBA Relationship Manager/Business Consultant at Diamond Financial Services. While there, he helped secure $30 million in funding for small business owners in various industries throughout the U.S. He also served as a commercial credit analyst at BB&T (now Truist) and a lead bank teller at Wells Fargo in Raleigh. In his new role with American Momentum, Patel will be responsible for sourcing well-qualified SBA 7(a) loan opportunities. He will focus on building relationships with business owners, as well as referral sources, such as business brokers, CPAs, attorneys and commercial real estate professionals.

“I’m passionate about building relationships and helping business owners realize their dreams,” Patel says. “It’s very satisfying to play a role in helping them succeed.”

“I’m excited about this new job opportunity because American Momentum is encouraging me to utilize the knowledge and skillset I possess to build my own brand and cultivate relationships, all while providing excellent support from the bank’s credit director and other SBA team members on the backend,” Patel says. “They’ll provide the support I’ll need to make sure I’m providing clear answers and the best service to our clients.”

United Community Bank Strengthens SBA Healthcare Team with Two New BDO Hires

“We are excited to welcome two very talented bankers to our specialized lending operation,” says Jessie Marolis, United’s Healthcare Manager. “Their combined expertise in lending provides us with fresh solutions and is reassurance to our healthcare clients that they are backed by one of the most prestigious SBA teams in the nation. I look forward to the ways in which they will help our overall growth and success as we continued to serve clients nationwide.”

Amer Khamis comes to United with more than 25 years of pharmaceutical banking experience. Throughout his career he has served as Director of Member Development, Pharmacy Loan Officer, Retail Sales Executive, Retail Sales Manager and Senior Financial Analyst with a variety of banks and corporations across the U.S. He received his bachelor’s degree in administrative sciences, finance and banking from Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan. Khamis will focus on pharmacy lending, helping to grow this segment for United throughout the US. Khamis is based in Corona, California where he and his wife keep busy with their two kids, volunteering in the community and serving as active members in the school PTA.

Craig Byers joins United with more than 20 years of banking experience, including 10 years specializing in private practices’ banking and lending needs. He most recently served as Vice President, Healthcare Business Banking for KeyBank in Washington and Oregon. He also spent time as a Relationship Manager, Senior Inside Sales Specialty Finance Officer and Relationship Account Officer throughout Colorado and Ohio. He received his bachelor’s degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Byers will also support the nationwide effort of SBA Healthcare loan origination for United Community Bank. Based in Washington, Byers enjoys exploring the outdoors on a bike, trail or skis.