WALLA WALLA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Small Business Administration named Banner 2016 Regional Lender of the Year for the Seattle/Spokane District and a Star Performer for the Portland District. The awards were presented at separate ceremonies as part of National Small Business Week.
Presented May 2 at the Washington State Small Business Awards Gala in Seattle, the Lender of the Year was determined by the SBA measuring the number of approved small business loans, total dollars approved, and a bank’s willingness to utilize all of the SBA programs. Using this data, Banner ranked third among all banks serving the state and was the top Washington-based lender, closing 168 loans for $28,192,300 last year.
On May 3, the SBA presented Banner Bank with a Star Performer Award for demonstrating “lending excellence” at the Portland (Oregon) District Small Business Week Award Luncheon. According to the SBA, this award is based on total loan volume closed in Oregon. Star Performers must close at least 20 loans during the fiscal year. Banner surpassed the requirement again this year, closing 40 loans totaling $3,580,400 with an average loan size of $89,510. By SBA data, Banner was the fifth most prolific lender in the Portland District and the top-performing regional bank.
“Small businesses are the engine of the regional economy and we are fully committed to be a source of capital to small businesses throughout our footprint,” said Mark Grescovich. “This most recent recognition by the SBA affirms we continue to meet our internal goal of actively lending to this important segment of businesses and in turn doing our part to move the economy forward.”
The SBA’s Seattle/Spokane District includes the entire state of Washington except for a small geographic region that includes Vancouver, Washington, which is included in the Portland District due to proximity. The Portland District includes that Vancouver, Washington area and 30 of 36 Oregon counties. Only the six most eastern counties in the state are not included as those are assigned to the Boise, Idaho District.
This is the fifth straight year the SBA has recognized Banner Bank’s SBA commitment in Washington, receiving the same award the last two years and Community Lender of the Year the two previous years. Additionally, this is the second year Banner received the SBA Star Performer Award in Oregon.
About Banner Bank
Banner Bank is a Washington-chartered commercial bank that conducts business from more than 200 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Utah and Idaho. Banner Bank is a community bank which offers a wide variety of commercial banking services and financial products to individuals and small- and medium-sized businesses and their employees throughout the western U.S. Visit Banner Bank at www.bannerbank.com.
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