SAVANNAH — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has recently granted First Chatham Bank special status as a member of the SBA’s Preferred Lender Program (PLP) based on the work of Quadrant Financial Inc., the bank’s commercial and capital markets lending division.

As a designated member of the PLP, the bank can now streamline the SBA loan approval process, connecting business owners more quickly with much needed government-guaranteed capital.

The SBA PLP program delegates all approval, closing, servicing and liquidation authority to the lender. As a result, PLP selection is based on proven performance of those tasks.  Additionally, PLP lenders must demonstrate a high rate of success, expertise and proficiency with SBA-guaranteed loans.

First Chatham Bank, through the Quadrant division, currently ranks among the Top 10 SBA lenders in Georgia.  The bank is in the 6th position for loan volume and is tied for 5th in the ranking for number of loans.

“The value in this designation is a significant benefit to our borrowers, as it essentially means that we have been granted the unilateral authority to approve certain loan requests on behalf of the SBA. The benefits for our valued customers are faster loan approvals and a more efficient closing process,” commented John Handmaker, chief executive officer of Quadrant Financial.

For information about SBA lending, call George Vredeveld Jr., president of Quadrant Financial, at (513) 281-5626.
First Chatham Bank opened for business in 2002, becoming the first locally owned full service commercial bank chartered in Chatham County since 1989. FCB currently serves four counties in the coastal region through a network of sister banks.

Quadrant Financial, Inc. merged with First Chatham Bank, becoming a division of the Savannah institution.

Quadrant Financial focuses on the commercial financing and capital needs of new and existing businesses. Through its comprehensive capital markets approach, Quadrant specializes in all types of commercial real estate financing and SBA 7a and 504 loans.

The organization, with management offices in both Louisville, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio, has clients throughout the U.S. Since Quadrant was founded seven years ago, it has originated in excess of $500 million in loans ranging from $150,000 to $10 million.