Colony Bank today announced that it has expanded its Small Business Specialty Lending (SBSL) Group with the addition of four Business Development Officers, two Underwriters, two Processors/Closers and a Servicing Specialist, as a result of increased demand for Small Business Administration (SBA) lending and other government-guaranteed loans. 

Joining the SBSL team are:

• Kandee Cotton, who joined Colony Bank in August 2020 as a Business Development Officer based in Columbus, Ohio, has 23 years’ experience in lending to dentist and other medical professionals.   

• Elise Roper, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as a Business Development Officer based in Birmingham, Alabama, has over 29 years commercial banking experience, including 21 years as an SBA Lender, and has processed over $187 million in U.S. small business loans.

• Ken Glover, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as a Business Development Officer based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, has 30 years of experience in the finance industry, including corporate finance and international transactional lending totaling over $500 million. 

• Michael Oppel, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as a Business Development Officer based in Tifton, Georgia, and will oversee USDA lending for Colony Bank, has 10 years of banking experience, including eight years specializing in USDA Business and Industry and Community Facilities loans. 

• Peter Lee, who joined Colony Bank in July 2020 as an Underwriter, has eight years of underwriting experience, including SBA and small business lending.

• Eric Langemach, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as an Underwriter, has 10 years of credit underwriting experience, including conventional, SBA and USDA loans. 

• Amanda Sodano, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as a Senior Loan Processor, has 13 years banking experience, including five years in SBA lending.

• Monika Hoefling, who joined Colony Bank in October 2020 as a Senior Loan Processor, has 22 years banking experience, including 18 years in government guaranteed processing and closing.

• Anjela Ellis, who joined Colony Bank in September 2020 as a Servicing Specialist, has 24 years banking experience, including four years in SBA operations. 

Commenting on the announcement, Darren Davis, President of the Small Business Specialty Lending Group, said, “I am excited about the talent, knowledge and experience this group brings to our team.  This expansion speaks volume about the platform, processes and culture our current team members have built since we started this group only 18 months ago. During these challenging economic times, when many other banks are decreasing lending to small businesses, Colony Bank’s SBSL department is growing, and we are committed to filling the gaps in access to capital for small businesses.”