Coleman’s 2026 SBA Lender Professional Award Nominations — Ceremony Spring 2026

Nominations are now open for Coleman’s 2026 SBA Lender Professional Awards! These prestigious awards recognize outstanding SBA lending professionals and companies that have made significant contributions to the small business lending community.

Nominate a colleague or yourself to be honored for your exceptional work in SBA lending, and help celebrate the positive impact you or your nominee has had on small businesses across the nation.

Nomination Guidelines

No entry fee is required for any nomination.
You may self-nominate or nominate someone you know.
Nominations must be submitted through this link.
A nominee’s impact on SBA lending and the small business community should be highlighted in your nominating statement or testimonial.
A compelling case study of a specific accomplishment or a solution to a challenge will be highly regarded by the judges.
Testimonials from senior management or the C-Suite are encouraged.

Nomination Deadline

All nominations must be submitted by December 31, 2025.

Award Categories

Individual Awards

Emerging SBA Lender of the Year (Under 40) (Multiple Winners)
Main Street Lender Professional of the Year
SBA 7(a) Lender Professional of the Year
SBA 504 Lender Professional of the Year
SBA Marketing Executive of the Year
SBA Business Development Officer of the Year (Multiple Winners)
SBDC Executive of the Year
SBA Secondary Market Executive of the Year

Institution Awards

Bank SBA Lender of the Year
Non-Bank SBA Lender of the Year
Credit Union SBA Lender of the Year
Mission-Based SBA Lender of the Year
SBA Fintech Lender of the Year
SBA Hospitality Lender of the Year
SBA Franchise Lender of the Year
Rural Main Street Lender of the Year
SBA Industry Podcast of the Year
SBA Lender Service Provider (LSP) of the Year

Awards Ceremony

Winners will be announced in January 2026, and invited to a Winners Luncheon, to be held in spring 2026 in Orlando. We are currently seeking a sponsor to cover registration, meals, and accommodations for winners and their guests. If a sponsor is not secured, tickets for the event will be charged instead of being complimentary.

Additional Details

Winners must be present at the luncheon to accept their award.
Emerging SBA Lender of the Year is open to nominees aged 39 or younger as of December 31, 2025.
Judges for the 2026 awards are previous winners and industry leaders.
All responses submitted are kept confidential.

Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the outstanding contributions of SBA lenders and companies in the industry! Submit your nominations today to celebrate excellence in SBA lending.

Sponsorship Opportunity

We are seeking a Platinum Sponsor for the 2026 Coleman SBA Awards Luncheon. If interested, please contact Bob Coleman at bob@colemanreport.com or (818) 790-4591.