August 13, 2026

Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher

Movers & Shakers: Stephanie Dunn, Gregg Edwards, Whitney Bouknight & Tonya Mazurek

Stephanie Castagnier Dunn Named SVP, Head of SBA Lending at Leader Bank

Leader Bank has named Stephanie Castagnier Dunn Senior Vice President and Head of SBA Lending as the bank expands its SBA team. Dunn brings more than 25 years of banking leadership experience and has launched and scaled multiple national SBA divisions from inception to top-tier national rankings.

Dunn most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief SBA Revenue Officer at Phoenix SBA & USDA from September 2024 to May 2026. Prior to that, she served as President of SBA Lending at Grasshopper Bank from 2021 to 2024. She is also a co-founder of Lords of Lending, which she launched in 2024 with Shane Pierson and Brian Congelliere.

At Leader Bank, Dunn is joined by Pierson, Vice President and SBA National Sales Manager, and Congelliere, Vice President and SBA Business Development Officer. According to Leader Bank, the team has originated more than $860 million in SBA 7(a) loans through lending platforms they have built and led, helping thousands of small business owners access capital to acquire, grow and strengthen their businesses.

Dunn has served as an appointed Council Member on the North Carolina Innovation Council since 2022. She previously served on the board of Coastal Horizons Center and the National Alliance for Grieving Children and has served on the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation Board. Dunn attended McGill University, where she studied business and international business. She was also recently named SBA Lending Executive of the Year at the Coleman Report Awards.

Gregg Edwards Joins Freedom Federal Credit Union as Director of Lending

Freedom Federal Credit Union has named Gregg Edwards as Director of Lending. Edwards brings more than a decade of credit union and financial services experience, including leadership roles in lending, operations, underwriting and digital transformation.

Edwards most recently served as Vice President of Operations at MileOne Autogroup, where he led operations for a home improvement consumer finance company and oversaw initiatives involving loan origination, collections, compliance, risk management and technology. Prior to that, he spent nearly nine years at Market USA Federal Credit Union, advancing through several lending leadership roles before serving as Chief Lending Officer.

At Freedom FCU, Edwards will help lead lending strategy across consumer, indirect and mortgage lending. His responsibilities include portfolio performance, product development, lending technology, compliance and modernization initiatives. In announcing the move, Edwards says he looks forward to “leading lending strategy, modernizing the borrowing experience, and expanding access to credit across Harford County and the greater Baltimore region.”

Edwards was named to the Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class in 2023 and was a 2023 Credit Union Times LUMINARIES Rising Star finalist. He also holds the Credit Union Development Educator designation from the National Credit Union Foundation and previously received the CUNA Lending Council’s Rising Star in Lending award.

Whitney Bouknight Named Vice President of SBA Lending at Colony Bank

Whitney Bouknight has joined Colony Bank as Vice President of SBA Lending, bringing more than a decade of experience in nationwide SBA lending and business development.

Bouknight most recently served as Vice President of SBA Lending at First Business Bank. Her previous roles include SBA leadership and business development positions at First Citizens Bank, First Bank and Live Oak Bank. She began her career in public accounting after earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in accountancy from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

At Colony Bank, Bouknight will focus on SBA financing for business acquisitions, expansion, commercial real estate and franchise transactions. Colony Bank’s Small Business Specialty Lending team operates as a Preferred SBA Lender and has been recognized as the top SBA lender headquartered in Georgia while ranking among the top 1.5% of SBA lenders nationwide.

Bouknight says she is focused on helping business owners navigate SBA financing and access capital for growth and ownership opportunities. Her background also includes personal experience as a small business owner and SBA loan guarantor.

Tonya Mazurek Joins Coastal States Bank as Vice President, Business Development Officer, Government Guaranteed Lending

“I wasn’t simply looking for my next opportunity,” says Mazurek. “I was looking for the right fit. Coastal States Bank stood out because of its commitment to relationships, collaboration, and finding solutions for business owners. I’m excited to join a team that believes great lending begins with understanding the people behind the numbers.”

With more than 15 years of experience in SBA and government-guaranteed lending, Tonya Mazurek has built a national reputation for helping business owners, referral partners, and financial professionals navigate complex financing opportunities with creativity, collaboration, and a relationship-first approach. Her expertise includes SBA 7(a), 504, USDA, and International Trade Loans, with experience spanning business acquisitions, partner buyouts, owner-occupied commercial real estate, manufacturing, construction, business expansion, startups, and other complex financing scenarios.

Tonya is widely recognized throughout the SBA industry as the co-host of SBA Today, recently recognized by The Coleman Report as the #1 SBA Podcast of 2025. Beyond reporting industry news, she has become known for helping lenders, referral partners, and entrepreneurs understand not only what has changed, but why it matters. Drawing on her deep knowledge of SBA Standard Operating Procedures, she is often the behind-the-scenes translator who helps turn complex policy changes into practical lending strategies and creative, compliant financing solutions. Her ability to bridge technical SBA expertise with practical, relationship-driven lending has made her a trusted resource throughout the SBA community.

Tonya was also recognized as the 2024 Colorado SBA Small Lender of the Year and has been featured by The New York Times and WSJ Buy Side for her insights into SBA lending and small business finance.

In her new role, Tonya looks forward to collaborating with professionals across the SBA lending community, continuing the relationship-first approach that has defined her career while helping more entrepreneurs achieve their goals.