Celebrate 40 Years Of Protecting Government Loan Guarantees Through Association
Welcome back to Develop Your Vision.
And Happy 40th birthday to NAGGL, the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders. We have been members of this association for a few years now. It provides a unified voice for all the 900+ banks, credit unions, and nonbank lenders – including American Lending Center – that work with the 7(a) small business loan program.
This September, we (ALC) were certified by the Small Business Administration as a participant in the 7(a) program as a Non-Federally Regulated Lender (NFRL). As a result, we plan to become even more involved with NAGGL.
Earlier this month, a four-person team from ALC, led by Vice President and Chief Lending Officer Scott Thompson traveled to Las Vegas for the 40th annual NAGGL conference. From Nov. 4 to 6, Scott, Sally Chou, Jim Ely and Larry Trujillo attended training meetings, shared stories and tips with their peers from other institutions and celebrated the continued success of NAGGL. Scott also attended the meeting of the Small Lenders Committee he serves on.
Stating Our Case
An association like this is important because it provides a unified voice to the federal government and its Small Business Administration. In recent years, NAGGL has expanded its reach to the Department of Agriculture and its USDA loans for rural development.
As stated on NAGGL’s website, its purpose is to work with SBA leadership and elected officials to stabilize and increase the availability of capital for small businesses through the government’s loan guarantees.
We believe, as the NAGGL leadership does, that small business is the engine that drives the nation’s economy and job creation, and it is important to continue to educate and advocate for that cause. Thanks to NAGGL’s efforts over the last 40 years, that government funding and support have been maintained even while government leaders – both elected and bureaucrats – have changed.
How It Works
In this instance, the federal government does not lend out its own money. Instead, it guarantees a portion of the loan should the borrower default, making it easier for small business owners to qualify for a loan from a private lender like us.
This is a public-private partnership, something near and dear to my heart and a basic principle in the ALC business philosophy. With the loan guarantee option, capital becomes available to small business owners who might not otherwise be able to qualify for a loan.
Going Forward
I am happy that we are able to partner with NAGGL and other institutions to work to maintain and strengthen this and other important SBA loan guarantee programs. As we enter 2025 and beyond, the ability to both educate and advocate is going to be key.
So Happy 40th, NAGGL, and here’s to 40 more. You are helping us and small business owners across the country Develop Our Vision.
John Shen
CEO and founder
American Lending Center
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About American Lending Center: A Financial Times (FT) Americas’ Fastest Growing Company
American Lending Center (ALC) is a mission based non-bank lending institution nationally recognized as a leader in job-creation lending. Since its inception in 2009, ALC has proudly provided over $2.2 billion in loans and investments to thousands of companies of all sizes, empowering them to grow and thrive. During the COVID years, ALC participated in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and provided direct assistance to nearly 30,000 companies in all 50 states, and Washington, DC. Through the years, ALC has helped create and/or retain more than 140,000 jobs. Follow American Lending Center on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter