Heritage Bank and Venturus Announce Joint Venture

June 11, 2024

Delaney Sexton
Contributing Editor

Heritage Bank and Venturus Announce Joint Venture

“Venturus has built an innovative, elevated SBA lending experience for entrepreneurs that combines white glove service, expertise and efficiency,” says H. David Wallace, Heritage Bank Chairman and CEO. “The result is an SBA 7a loan application process simpler for the customer and generally faster at getting loans of $25,000 to $5,000,000 into the pockets of business owners ready to innovate and grow.”

“Built on a multi-decade legacy of successfully starting and operating SBA lending joint ventures with banks, Venturus was launched two years ago,” says John Handmaker, CEO of Venturus. “We experienced immediate success and grew so fast, continually improving our loan volume and efficiency while winning the loyalty of small businesses and valued referral partners, that we exceeded the capacity of our initial capital partner. We approached Heritage Bank because of their financial strength and expertise working with small businesses in mid-sized markets as well as their growth trajectory. Through mutual due diligence, we learned our cultures were similar and our commitment to high level service and customer experience is aligned.”

Through its strategic partnership with the bank, Venturus will operate as the SBA lending division of Heritage Bank, keenly focused on expanding its nationwide impact and delivering customized financing solutions throughout the greater Cincinnati and Miami Valley markets. Whether it’s an owner occupied commercial real estate purchase in Kentucky, or an equipment purchase and debt refinance request in the Midwest, Venturus consistently applies innovation and creativity to its approach. 

“SBA loans can be more complicated than other types of business loans due to eligibility requirements and underwriting nuances,” says Handmaker. “It requires specialized knowledge to advise on loan options and to keep the paperwork and documentation process manageable for entrepreneurs who are often focused on managing the day-to-day needs of their businesses. Venturus makes it simpler for our customers to access the SBA financing they need and receive an unparalleled lending experience.”

“Partnering with Venturus will allow Heritage Bank to offer another advantage to the small business market,” said Wallace. “We look forward to expanding our impact and giving more small businesses a high level of customer service, experienced consultation and streamlined decision making.”