The Small Business Administration’s National Administrator has recognized the nation’s top SBA lending partners for making the most 7a and 504 loans last year. Among the honorees are two lenders from Southern California — Kurt Chilcott, president and chief executive of the CDC Small Business Finance Corp. of San Diego, and Bill Sommer, senior vice president of Bank of America.

“I think it’s appropriate that we recognize them for their outstanding efforts,” says George Chandler, district director of the Small Business Administration, San Diego District. “They are by far the leaders in volume. They’ve set records in this category.”

Providing 504-type loans nationwide, the CDC has approved 312 SBA loans, representing a record $152 million in SBA financing for projects exceeding $445 million. These loans have assisted small businesses in creating and retaining more than 6,500 jobs.

Chilcott is a nationally recognized leader in the field of community and economic service, Chandler says. He has developed and managed numerous new economic development initiatives at the state and local level for 15 years. His expertise ranges from regional planning to technology-based economic development and small business finance.

“Kurt has set records that are considerably higher than anyone ever did before,” notes Chandler.

Bank of America received the award for most 7a loans nationwide with $3,918 million in loans, an agency record. With an average loan amount of $63,000, Bank of America has consistently provided financial support for smaller, newer and often minority- and women-owned businesses.

Sommer is a strong advocate of SBA loans facilitated by CDC and a promoter of the SBA Express Loan Program. Chandler says Sommers excels at seeing the big picture as it applies to the needs of the small business community and then using his resources to develop programs addressing those needs. “Bank of America makes a lot of smaller loans that help new businesses grow and prosper,” says Chandler. “These are our big businesses of the future.”

Even more impressive is how these lenders set loan volume records during an economic downturn. “When you consider that their volume increased in a time when the economy has been off,” says Chandler, “that’s quite an accomplishment.”